CIHM 
Microfiche 
Series 
(Monographs) 


iCMH 

Collection  de 
microfiches 
(monographles) 


Canadian  Institute  for  Hiitorical  Microrapraductiont  /  Inttitut  Canadian  da  microraproductiona  hiatoriquaa 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes  /  Notes  technique  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best  original 
copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this  copy  which 
may  be  bibi'  jraphically  unique,  which  may  alter  any  of 
the  images  in  the  reproduction,  or  which  may 
significantly  change  the  usual  method  of  filming  are 
checked  below. 


D 
D 
D 

D 
D 
D 


Coloured  covats  / 
Couvcrture  de  couleur 

Covers  damaged  / 
Couveiture  endommagte 

Covers  restored  and'or  laminated  / 
Couver*ure  festaurie  et/ou  pelliculte 


D 


D 


Cover  title  missing  /  Le  Utre  de  couverture  manque 

Coloured  maps  /  Cartes  gtegraphlques  en  couleur 

Cotcured  Ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)  / 
Encie  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noke) 

Cokxired  plates  and^or  llhistratkxis  / 
narKhes  et/ou  lllustratk)ns  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material  / 
PeM  avec  dautrss  documents 

Only  editk>n  available  / 
Seule  edltkm  dispcnibte 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  Interior  margin  /  La  reliure  aeirie  peut 
causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la  distorsnn  le  long  de 
la  marge  intSrieure. 

Blank  leaves  added  during  rsstoiatkjns  may  appear 
within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these  have 
been  omitted  from  timing  /  II  se  peut  que  ceftainas 
pages  blanches  ajoutees  lors  d'une  restauration 
apparaissent  dans  le  texte,  mais,  kxsque  cela  etait 
possible,  ces  pages  n'ont  pas  ete  finiees. 


AdcMonal  comments  / 
Commentaires  suppiementaires: 


Thii  ittffl  if  fjlmad  tt  ttw  rtduction  ratio  dwcfcad  btkmr/ 

Ct  documant  Mt  filmi  M  tau>  dt  rMiKtign  indieirf  cj-dtneui, 

^ox  14X  tax 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  examplaire  qu'il  lui  a 
6t^  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details  de  cet  exem- 
plaire  qui  sont  peut-£tre  uniques  du  point  de  vue  bibli- 
ographlque,  qui  peuvent  modifier  une  image  leproduite, 
ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une  modifications  dans  la  m6th- 
ode  normale  de  filmage  sont  indiqu6s  ci-dessous. 


D 
D 
D 

D 

D 
D 


D 


Cokxired  pages  /  Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged  /  Pages  endommagees 

Pages  restored  and/or  laminated  / 
Pages  restaurfes  et/ou  pellkxiltes 

Pages  discokxired,  stained  or  foxed  / 
Pages  dteoior^es,  tachetees  ou  piqutes 

Pages  detached  /  Pages  detach«es 

Showthrough  /  Transparence 

OuaUty  of  print  varies  / 
Qualiti  inegals  de  I'impresskHi 

Includes  supplementary  material  / 
Comprend  du  materiel  supoWmentaire 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  returned  to 
ensure  the  best  passible  image  /  Les  pages 
totalement  ou  partiellement  oljscurcies  par  un 
teuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure,  etc.,  ont  Mi  filmtes 
a  nouveau  de  fapon  k  obtenir  la  mellleure 
image  possible. 

Opposing  pages  with  varying  colouration  or 
discolourations  are  filmed  twice  to  ensure  the 
best  possible  image  /  Les  pages  s'opposant 
ayant  des  coloratrans  variables  ou  des  decol- 
oratk)ns  sont  filmees  deux  fois  afin  d'obtenir  la 
meilleur  image  possible. 


sx 


»x 


XX 


" 

J 

D 

" ' 

12X 

16X 

ax 

2tX 

21X 

MX 

Th*  copy  fllmad  hara  hn  bmn  riproducad  thanki 
to  tha  ganaroalty  of: 


L'axamplaira  filmi  fut  raprodult  grlea  1  la 
g*n*ro*IM  da: 


UninnM  d*  MontrM 


UnivmM  da  MontrM 


Tha  Imagaa  appaaring  hara  ara  tha  baat  quality 
poaalbia  conildaring  tha  condition  and  laglblllty 
of  tha  original  copy  and  In  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  ipaclflcatlona. 


Lat  Imaga*  aulvantat  ont  ttt  raprodultaa  avac  la 
plus  grand  aoln,  compta  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nanatt  da  l'axamplaira  film*,  at  an 
conformity  avac  las  conditions  du  contrat  da 
fllmaga. 


Original  coplas  In  printad  papar  covara  ara  fllmad 
bsglnning  with  tha  front  covar  and  andlnj  on 
tha  last  paga  with  a  printad  or  llluatrata/j  Impras- 
slon,  or  tha  back  covar  whan  approprlata.  All 
othar  original  coplas  ara  fllmad  baglnning  on  tha 
first  paga  with  a  printad  or  lllustratad  Impraa- 
slon,  and  anding  on  tha  last  paga  with  a  printad 
or  lllustratad  Imprasslon. 


Laa  axamplalras  origlnaux  dont  la  couvartura  an 
paplar  aat  Imprimta  sont  fllmAs  an  commandant 
par  la  pramlar  plat  at  an  tarmlnant  solt  par  la 
darnWra  paga  qui  comporta  una  ampralnta 
d'Imprasslon  ou  d'lllustratlon,  solt  par  la  sacond 
plat,  salon  la  cas.  Tous  Isa  autras  axamplalras 
origlnaux  sont  fllmts  an  commandant  par  la 
pramMra  paga  qui  comporta  una  ampralnta 
d'Imprasslon  ou  d'lllustratlon  at  an  tarmlnant  par 
la  darnMra  paga  qui  comporta  una  talla 
ampralnta. 


Tha  last  racordad  frama  on  aach  microflcha 
shall  contain  tha  symbol  —^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  tha  symbol  y  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  dee  symboles  sulvants  apparattra  sur  la 
dernltre  Imaga  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
ces:  le  symbols  — »-slgnlfle  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
syn-.bols  ▼  signlfle  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  mey  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  retlos.  Those  too  lerge  to  be 
entirely  Included  In  one  exposure  ere  filmed 
beginning  In  the  upper  left  hend  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  aa  many  fremea  aa 
required.  The  following  diegrems  lllustrste  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  plenches,  tableeux,  etc.,  peuvent  ttre 
fllmte  A  des  taux  de  rMuctlon  dIffArents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  ttre 
reprodult  en  un  seul  cllch<,  II  est  fllmi  i  pertir 
de  I'angla  supirleur  geuche,  de  gauche  t  drolte, 
et  de  heut  en  bee,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'Images  ntceeealre.  Les  diegrammes  sulvanta 
lllustrent  la  mtthoda. 


1  2  3 


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THE  CHINESE  AT  HOME 


THE    CHINESE 
AT  HOME 


OR 


THE  MAN  OF  TONG  AND  HIS  LAND 


By 
J.    DYER    BVLL,  i.s.o.,  m.r.a.s. 

M.    i  t'.'S\    UK.k.A.S.,    Lie. 

f/t>Mg-A--it^'  Ci.'-i/  .SV»i7«  (reiirtii) 

AUniOK    OF   •'THIM.S  CHINK^'B,"   "THK   CELK«r!\!.   ANit  HtS   KEl.HilON  " 


FLKXHNC.    H.    Kt  V  K!.l     (  0^tl^\NV 
NEW  YORK      r*!KA(.0      TORONTO 


THE    CHINESE 
AT  HOME 


OR 


THE  MAN  OF  TONG  AND  HIS  LAND 


By 
J.    DYEP    BALL,  i.s.o.,  m.r.a.s. 

M.    CHrNA    BK.R.A.S.,    LTC. 

ffong-A'oHj(  Civil  Set-vice  (retired^ 

AUTHOH   OF  "THINGS  CHINESB,"   "THE  CELKSTIM.   AND   HIS   RRLtU.ON" 


FLEMING   H.   REVELL   COMIWNV 

NEW    VORK.     CHICAGO.     TORONTO 
1913 


9  IS.  I 
3  lii  ^ 


CONTENTS 


PREFACE  .  .  .  . 

I 
I.     THE  MIDDLE  KINODOU 

II.  TUB  BLACK-HAIRED  RACE 

III.  THE  LIFE  OF  A  DEAD  CHINAMAN 

IV.  WIND  AND  WATER,  OR  "FDNO-.SHUI"      . 
V.  THE  MUCH-HARRIED  CHINAMAN  . 

VI.  tOHN  CHINAMAN  ABROAD 

VII.  JOHN  chinaman's  LITTLE  ONES 

VIII.  THE  PAST  OF  lOHN  CHINAMAN     . 

a.  THE  MANDARIN     .... 

Z.  LAW  AND  ORDER 

ZI.  THE  DIVERSE  TONGUES  OF  JOHN  CHINAMAN 

XII.  THE  DRUG  :  FOREIGN  DIRT 

XIU.  WHAT  JOHN  CHINAMAN  EATS  AND  DRINKS 

XIV.  JOHN  chinaman's  DOCTORS 

XV.  WHAT  JOHN   CHINAMAN   READS     . 

vii 


Si 

I 

31 

3' 
45 
6i 
73 
86 

99 
ii6 
129 

144 
158 
172 
18s 


Contents 


cnArmt  f^^ 

XVI.     JOHN  CHINAMAN  AFLOAT  .              ,199 

XVII.      HOW  lOHN  CHINAMAN  TRAVIU  ON  LAND  .  SIS 

XVIII.     HOW  JOHN  CHINAUAN  DRIMES  .  aa$ 

XIX.     THE  CAR£  OF  THE   HINUTB  .  ajf 

XX.     THE  YELLOW   PERIL  .  »ja 

XZI.     JOHN  CHINAUAN  AT  SCHOOL  .363 

XXII.     JOHN  CHINAMAN  OUT  OF  DOORS  .  379 

XXIIL     JOHN  CHINAM/J(  INDOORS  .  397 

XXIV.     JOHN  CHINAMAN  AT  WORK  .316 

XXV.     WHAT  JOHN  CHINAMAN  BELIEVES  .  331 

XXVI.     NEW  LIFE  IN  OLD  CHINA  .  343 

XXVIL     WHAT    MISSIONARIES    HAVE    DONE  FOR    JOHN 

CHINAMAN       ,              .  .355 

INDEX  ,363 


viU 


LIST  OP  ILLUSTRATIONS 


IN  COLOC8 

™.  UTTL.  ORPHAN  RoCK  m  THE  VANO  TK  . 
BARBER     . 
A  FBUALE  ACROBAT 
A  BUND  SINOmo  OIRl  AND  DUENNA 
A  PERPORMINO  UONKEY. 
A  BLIND   MEK'CHANT 
A  PHYSIOONOMIST 

IN  BLACK  AND  WHITE 

A  CHINESE  WATERWAY  AND  BRIDGE 

BRAIDING  THE  QUEUE 

A  FAMILY  GROUP  OF  THREE  GENERATIONS 
A  BRIDAL  PROCESSION     . 


I'ACINQ  pAQi 

.     16 


•  '3a 

.  19a 

ai6 

.386 
■  340 

2 

13 
46 
SI 


List  of  Illustrations 


'    54 


A  HIUTARV  MANDARIN  AND  Win 

A  :'AHILy  OROUP  '7' 

X   rAMILY   JAUNT  '7' 

TH>CB   DUTINOUISHEO   MANDARINI  >M 

ROOM    IN  OOVIRNOH'8  VAMBN     .  100 

SHANGHAI  :    FOREIGN  MARKET     .  ■   'S^ 

EATING   RICE  •    'S8 

THREE  WELL-DRESSED  LADIES  AND  SERVANT  .  335 

A  CHINESE  CROWD  AT  AN  OUT-OF-DOORS  THEATRE        .  SSl 

CHINI  IB  OENTLEJAN'S  GARDEN  •  '88 

THE  UKAGON  PR0CE8JI0N  ....  ^95 

THE  OUEST  H/LL  IN  A  CHINESE  GENTLEMAN  '  HOUSE, 

HONO  KONG                .               .               •  ■  304 


A  OAMUUNO   HOUSE 
THE  CHINESE  "  BARROW  " 
SHANGHAI  CITY  TEMPLE 
STREET  SCENE  :    PEKING 
STREET  SCENE  :    MOUKDEN 


3»4 
•338 
■  349 
•349 


•1 


PREFACE 

THE  Tong  (or  Tang)  Dynasty  was  so  splendid 
a  period  in  the  annals  of  China  that  millions 
in  the  south  of  that  land  glory  in  the  name  of 
Men  of  Tong.  In  the  north  another  i'lustrious 
dynasty  has  likewise  bestowed  its  name  on  other 
millions,  who  commemorate  its  bright  annals  by 
taking  the  name  of  Men  of  Han. 

The  Han  is  noted  chiefly  amongst  a  literary 
people,  such  as  the  Chinese,  as  the  epoch  of  the 
renaissance  of  their  literature  ;  while  the  To  >  }, 
also  renowned  for  its  literary  excellence,  Las  beiai 
coir  pared  to  our  Elizabethan  age  of  literature. 

These  two  periods  of  China's  history  were  not 
only  renowned  for  literature  :  the  Han,  the  reign 
of  whose  sovereigns  extended  from  B.C.  206  to 
A.D.  as,  W.-W  a  glorious  epoch,  whether  looked 
at  from  a  literary,  historical,  military,  commercial, 
or  an  artistic  point  of  view  ;  and  it  was  very 
fitting  that  its  name  should  be  used  to  designate 
its  sons,  as  it  vas  the  formative  period  of 
Chinese  polity  and  i.istitutions,  official  and  formal. 

Equally  fitting  was  it  that  the  people  of  the 
southern  portion  of  the  Empire  should  appropriate 
the  title  of  another  great  dynasty  as  a  name  for 
xi 


Preface 


themselves  ;  for  it  was  during  the  Tong  Dynasty 
(A.D.  618-908)  that  they,  who  had  been  con- 
quered before,  were  now  completely  civilised  and 
incorporated  into  the  Chinese  race.  Thus  they 
have  immortalised  this  most  illustrious  period  of 
Chinese  history  and  kept  its  memory  ever  fragrant 
during  mxjiy  cycles  of  Cathay,  while  at  the  same 
time  their  pride  has  been  gratified  by  this  con- 
tinual reminder  in  their  name  of  the  glories  of 
a  wondrous  post. 

The  author  has  dwelt  amongst  these  Men  of 
Tong  for  more  than  forty-six  years  ;  he  has  studied 
their  manners,  customs,  languages,  thoughts  ;  he 
has  seen  their  old-world  civilisation,  which  seemed 
to  have  secured  for  itself  an  indefinite  if  not  eternal 
future  with  this  conservative  people,  one  of  the 
most  conservative  oa  the  face  of  the  earth  ;  and 
he  has  seen  the  bursting  of  the  iron  bonds  of 
this  old-time  life,  and  the  commencement  of  a 
new  era  of  progress.  The  vision  of  an  indefinite 
future  perpetuating  a  never-changing  order  of 
things,  death-like  and  stagnant,  has  changed  into 
a  living,  active  present,  which  presages  good  for 
the  new  future. 

Now  that  he  has  left  all  these  changing  scenes^ 
in  the  quiet  of  English  pursuits  he  has  fotmd  a 
pleasure  in  describing  some  of  the  many  phases 
of  Chinese  life  ;  and  he  hopes  his  readers  will 
have  an  equal  pleasure  in  the  perusal  of  these 

pages. 

J.  DYER  BALL. 
Hadlev  Wood. 
loii. 

sii 


THE  CHINESE  AT  HOME 


CHAPTER   I 

The  Middle  Kingdom 

T  S  it  possible  by  a  few  broad  strokes  to  picture 
1  what  is  connoted  by  the  terms  China  and  the 
Chinese  ;  to  sununarise  and  compress  in  a  few 
sentences  and  in  general  terms  a  description  of 
the  physical  features  of  the  country,  the  charac- 
teristics of  the  people,  and  their  mental  attitude? 
The  task  is  a  well-nigh  impossible  one,  yet  if 
impracticable,  a  few  bold  touches  may  whet  the 
appetite  for  a  fuller  description  in  the  following 
pages,  when  different  aspects  of  Chinese  life  will 
come  under  review. 

China  has  two  of  the  world's  greatest  and  most 
famous  rivers— the  Child  of  the  Ocean  (Yang  Tsz 
Kiang)  and  the  Yellow  River— with  hosts  of  other 
rivers  so  numerous  as  to  be  insignificant  and  com- 
paratively unknown  in  the  Western  world,  though 
scores  of  them  would  rank  in  importance  and  size 
with  some  of  the  most  famous  waterways  in  the 


The  Middle  Kingdom 

West.  It  has  mountain  ranges,  magnificent  in  their 
grandeur  and  scenery,  rivalling  any  to  be  found 
in  Great  Britain  or  Ireland.  It  has  immense 
plains,  filled  with  a  teeming  population,  and  co- 
equal in  extent  with  whoh  countries  in  Europe. 
It  has  thousands  of  cities,  great  and  small  ;  vast 
hives  of  human  worker:,  replete  with  life  and 
vigour ;  enormous  provinces,  each  embracing 
scojes  and  hundreds  of  districts  or  counties  ; 
fleets  of  junks,  fishing-craft,  sea-going  vessels, 
and  river-boats,  in  such  numbers  that  no  one  has 
ever  totalled  the  grand  mass,  almost  itmumerable 
as  they  are,  to  be  found  at  every  seaport  and 
each  inland  riverine  or  lacustrine  city,  town,  or 
village.  No  country  can  compare  with  China  for 
natural  facilities  of  inland  navigation.  Its  coast- 
line winds  in  and  out,  giving  way  in  bays  and 
gaining  again  in  promontories,  now  merely  holding 
its  own,  now  nearly  cut  off  at  some  peninsula, 
and  then  almost  losing  itself  in  the  delta  of  some 
great  river.  Many  small  islands  stud  the  Yellow 
and  China  Seas,  the  estuaries  of  the  rivers  and 
the  lakes.  Some  are  sacred  with  religious  associa- 
tions, as  Pu  To,  the  haunt  of  Buddhist  temples, 
or  the  Little  Orphan,  in  the  Yang  Tsz.  Lakes 
there  are,  not  a  few,  amongst  which  the  palm 
must  be  assigned  to  the  Tung  Ting  (two  hundred 
miles  in  circumference)  and  the  picturesque  Po 
Yang   (ninety  miles  long  by  twenty  broad). 

Such,  then,  in  a  few  sentences,  is  China,  form- 
ing  one  of   the   most   extensive   dominions   ever 

2 


1 


ii.     ' "  1 

J:. ' :  . 

Its  Population 

China  has  a  population  of  426,000,000,  which 
eve^  schoolboy  knows  is  reckoned  as  a  thirf  of 

mnnf'i-  u^"'"^"'  ^"^  '^^  Chinese,  almost 
monopolise  the  world's  people  between  them.    The 

thouLnn"""'  "^,~°'««'  '^ith  a  few  hundreds  of 
thousands  or  millions  each. 

of  M^^^'l  "  ^'1/°""'*  ^^  "'^  ^^'  """"tain  chains 
of  Manchuria,  Mongolia,  and  Tibet,"  "  and  watered 
oy  a  n.;er  system  unsurpassed  in  the  world,  the 

for  tillage,  m  times  long  previous  to  the  advent 
of  their  present  inhabitants,  by  a  gradual  process 

dLosit  'r",!"  "'^  '''^'"-'^^'  -'I  'he  requiting 
deposit  of  alluvia  carried  seawards  with  the 
streams  "  The  land  was  thus  made  ready  for  its 
busy  inhabitants  and  occupants,  and  the  soil  ren 
dered  suitable  b^  i,3  depth  and  richness  for 
maintammg  a  large  population. 

"  I'l  the  records  of  the  earhest  Chinese  dynasties 
frequent  allusion  is  made  to  waste  lands  reclaimed 
by  deepening  the  watercourses,  or  by  cuttine 
channels  for  the  swollen  floods.  In  this  way  r^^y 
of  the  most  fertile  plains  were  drained  and 
redeemed,  to  supply  the  wants  of  an  increasingly 
numerous  race.  ■' 

■■  But  the  vastness  of  its  habitable  territory  and 
the  native  ess  of    .     soil  were  not  the  only 

3 


The  Middle  Kingdom 

features  which  favoured  the  growth,  stability,  and 
independence  of  this  great  Empire.  Within  the 
mountain  chains  which  isolate  China  and  its 
dependencies,  almost  every  variety  of  climate  is 
to  be  found."  "  The  natural  products  render  the 
people  practically  independent  of  the  outer 
world."  ' 

China  was  shut  up  for  centuries  from  European 
intercourse.  The  haughty  arrogance  and  fears  of 
its  rulers  as  effectually  closed  it  up  as  if  its  own 
Great  Wall  encircled  all  its  borders.  It  had  the 
Hermi'  Kingdom  of  Corea  as  its  neighbour,  and 
beyond  the  sea  the  hermetically  sealed  Kingdom  of 
the  Rising  Sun  (Japan).  The  wilds  of  Manchuria 
were  to  the  north,  peopled  by  nomad  tribes,  who, 
invigorated  by  the  free  life  of  centuries,  every 
now  and  then  swept  down  upon  the  more  enervated 
inhabitants  to  the  south,  and  took  the  reins  of 
government  into  their  own  hands,  to  be  in 
turn  subdued  by  the  civilisation  and  refinement 
of  the  conquered  people.  At  times  these  wild  men 
of  the  north  swept  past  all  barriers,  overwhelming 
state  after  state,  and  even  came  into  Europe  itself. 

To  the  west  of  China  lay  the  half -frozen  regions 
of  Tibet,  leading  up  by  their  forbidding  heights 
to  the  Roof  of  the  World.  This  land  of  mystery 
had  been  visited  by  only  a  few  adventurous  souls, 
and  was  all  but  closed  to  the  foreigner. 

Sweeping  round  to  the  south-east  and  south  were 
the  Shan  States,  Burmah,  Annam,  and  Siam. 
■  Thompson,  The  Land  and  the  People  of  China,  pp.  i,  2. 
4 


Early  Civilisation 


All  round  China  were  barbarians.     Surely,   if 

by  wrr;  ?""■"  "^^  *  "^'''  '"  -"  <''•'"  naLs 
the  ChLl«  rj'""'"'""''  ^  opprobrious  epithet, 
he  Chinese  had  an  excuse  for  fastening  such  a 

S  ^^V  ""«^''!'°""'  "'•°  -««  inferior  to 

crafts    a„Tr'7'u'"°"''''«^'  "'"''^'«.  handi- 
crafts, and  who  further,  on  this  account,  derived 

^e   groundwork  of  their  literatur^writ'ten  ',1^' 

fl^!t  Z-         .^""^^  civilisation  from  the 
great   nation   wh.ch   lay   in   the   centre   of   their 

The  Middle  Kingdom  radiated  its  light  abroad 

part?:;tr;rth'"  '^^  °"^'=°  ^^^^  *«  u„:^°:st 

^d  west  L^^*'  '^'^  ''°*  "^  «""'"  "°«h.  south, 
carry    xts    victorious    banners    to    success-those 
banners  which  in  most  of  the  conflicts  tith   is 
neighbours  led  the  way  to  conquering  hoTts 
This  name,  the  Middle  Kingdom,  taking  its"  rise 

has  typified  m  its  better  later-day  rendering  of  thl' 
Central  Empire  the  central  posiLn"'/ thf  C  1  s- 
able  thrr  f^'^'T  A-a,  and  also,  as  outlined 
above,  the  centre  of  light  and  "influence  during 
many  centuries  in  the  past.     The  light  of  ciXa^ 

moan?  TT^  -^'^  "-^""^  °^  *^  RisiTZ 
(Japan),  which  m  its  turn  is  now  repaying,  by  th^ 

i^fs^^mur^'  '''  ^"^''^  '°  which^isUCd 
This  mighty  Empire  had  been  in  the  past  self 
centred  to  a  very  great  extent.    Her  vast  /omUoL 


The  Middle  Kingdom 


I    i 

I   I 
■I 


have,  with  their  almost  boundless  resources,  pro- 
vided well  for  nearly  all  wants,  and  nearly  every 
wish  of  her  people  has  been  gratified.  Is  it  food 
that  is  required  for  her  teeming  population?  The 
myriads  of  tiny  rice-fields  lying  along  the  banks  of 
rivers,  and  climbing  the  hill-sides  with  their  waving 
harvests  ripening  into  golden  grain  under  the  fierce 
tropical  sun  of  the  south,  feed  the  majority  of 
her  peoples,  while  wheat  and  millet  hi  the  north 
provide  food  for  the  almost  starving  millions  who 
in  north  or  south  or  east  or  west,  if  a  crop  fails, 
find  themselves  at  once  at  Death's  door. 

To  give  variety  to  what  might  be  considered  a 
monotonous  diet,  numerous  vegetables  are  assidu- 
ously cultivated  by  the  ubiquitous  market -gardener, 
whose  ceaseless  toil  is  rewarded  by  a  great  variety 
of  greenstuffs  and  roots.  Under  the  different  climes 
of  China  a  varied  fruit  crop  is  produced,  ps  her 
ample  dominions  range  from  the  cold  north  to  the 
sunny  south — chestnuts,  walnuts,  peaches,  plums, 
and  pears,  as  well  as  oranges,  pumeloes,  custard- 
apples,  and  many  others. 

To  add  to  the  delights  of  the  table,  pigs  wallow 
in  the  mire  in  every  village  street,  and  in  poor 
men's  houses  are  as  often  to  be  found  as  in 
Paddy's,  burrowing  under  table  and  bed,  while 
chickens  are  so  common  as  to  be  even  kept  by 
the  dwellers  on  the  water  in  their  boats.  If  his 
conscience  does  not  forbid  him,  an  occasional  relish 
of  beef  may  be  enjoyed  with  the  Chinaman's  frugal 
meal.  Nature  also  provides  him  fish  from  the 
6 


■ 


Nature's  Provision 


'J^s  that  dram  h.s  land,,  and  any  one  may  catch 
A^  by  any  dev.ce  he  likes  anywhere  and  every- 
where, by  day  or  night,  without  let  or  hindrance 

Not  content  with  the  fish  which  Nature  gives 
c^«f^r  "^  ^""'*"  ^"^'^''  f°'  his  tast,^by 

ovTtL'^""'  '"."'^^'^  '""y  ^'"^K«-  More- 
over, the  harvests  of  the  fields  are  supplemented 
by  an  aftermath  of  finny  tribes,  which,  totrXS 
into  the  nce-fields,  have  grown  with  the  gS 
and  (sw,mm,ng  amongst  the  stalks  as  these  sloj; 
ear  o°^t  l^''*'"^  "P'=°  "''''  ««  ^"taess  of 
panv  tht^.  ^/'.'^  "'^  *  ^''^°"y  ^^^  »°  accom- 
pany the  cooked  rice  on  the  tables  of  those  who 
have   thus   providently   prepared   both   ready   f„ 

brlved  tf  sr  'T'''  "^  '^*''""«^»'  -h°  ^ave 
frlV  \  ""  '^^  *^''°'"'  *°  °"  their  gains 
from  the  tossmg  ridges  of  the  briny  waves 

sDins  Toh^rv"^  '^\  "  "^'^'^^  The  silkworm 
n?  n  /"'"^^hmaman-s  silk  for  him  ;  the  cotton- 
pUnt  furnishes  material  for  his  jacket  and  trouser" 

^aned^mb   '""^ ''t  '"''  ^"'^  ^^  '^e  T-' 

wT'  /°V  "*""^'  everything  needed  for  cloth- 
mg  he  has  been  able  to  find  in  his  own  land. 

Is  It  fuel  that  is  required?    Coal  is  to  be  found 
m  abundance,  though  not  so  largely  employed  as 
by    Western    nations.      Forests     hv    Jm^,     j 
felling,  have  receded  to  .^T^.^  Z  ^S 
7 


The  Middle  Kingdom 

country,  but  they  still  yield  charcoal  and  firewood 
and  building  materials  in  abundance.  Minerals 
of  ahnost  every  kind  abound,  and  are  largely  used 
in  arts  and  manufactures. 

So  well  provided  thus  in  every  respect  is  John 
Chinaman  that  he  has  hitherto  needed  but  little 
from  others  to  satisfy  his  wants  or  needs. 

As  to  things  that  more  concern  the  mind ;  the 
range  of  literature  has  till  recently  satisfied  all 
his  mental  cravings,  so  extensive  it  is,  and  so 
wide  its  ramifications.  Trained  within  certain 
limits,  John  Chinaman  has  not  cared,  till  of  late, 
to  range  beyond  these  limitations,  and  so  superior 
to  all  around  him  was  what  was  provided  for 
his  mental  culture  in  his  own  land,  that  only 
present-day  enlightenment  has  opened  his  eyes 
to  the  superiority  of  much  of  .Western  literature. 

The  government  of  this  mighty  Empire  has  been 
elaborated  by  the  people's  own  unaided  efforts, 
though  d.  btless  based  on  ancient  ideas  which 
may  have  b..en  brought  with  the  first  arrivals  when 
they  settled  in  their  future  home  ;  and  admirably 
adapted  it  has  been  for  an  Oriental  race,  and 
infinitely  superior  it  is  to  that  of  some  of  the 
other  Eastern  nations,  while  the  civilisation  of  the 
people  has  developed,  but  little  touched  or  affected 
by  other  races. 

As    regards    religion,    the    nation    has    clung 

tenaciously  to  its  own  beliefs  through  long  ages, 

though  largely  availing  itself  of  other  faiths,  some 

of  them  in  combination  with  its  own.     Its  basic 

8 


A  Self-sufficient  Land 

--.Tor  Chin"!  "'  ''^^   •"""•   '-"   " 
of  ethic,  lr.t^'  *^'  °"  "^'''^  »  superstructure 

d  ified  .  W  ra^!h  ""r"''  """''  "  ""-»  *"e 
BlenSd  iVhi'      u"'  ^""^  '^^  '^■'  «dded. 

.y.Te„  or«hc  's^wf/rf  "''"'  »"'  "*«"  ^ 
one  may   descriL  =         <^°"'""«>'"n-     All   this 

may  also  be  ad^ed  fh  ''""'•''.  ^''*°"''  '»  ''•'ich 
founder  of  Taot'      v."  «y«.'cism  of  Lao  T,.,  the 

intr^dlctrrS  'a'''^T'  ^^'  '"  -»"  *e 
though  rcidSly^Sr^r  haTh  iT'^Vr"'^"' 
impress  fixed  on  it   JZ^'     u      ^^    *    ^'''""« 

requirements'  oT  t";  ^ele^L  ^ce^'Th  '  ,"'  ''" 
day   idolatrnnc    n  jj^  "'      ^^e   latter- 

whL  de^rratef  tr  °^"'''^'^°-''  Maoism, 
Chinese  lif Zf        u  ^^"""'^    superstition,    and 

^'rs;:^^thir.rBr/t;rHfs^ 

has  taken  over  this  mass'of      i £    ^.7/0^^^ 

:?XS's-Lr^eS--'^-r 

To  summarise  :   John  Chinaman,  talce  it  all  in 


'    ij! 


The  Middle  Kingdom 

In  the  Middle  Ages,  when  the  celebrated 
Venetian  traveller  Marco  Polo  penetrated  to  the 
uttermost  parts  of  the  world,  his  journey  lay 
through  Central  Asia.  This  seemed  the  most  easy 
way  of  approach  to  those  old-time  travellers, 
though  others,  buffeted  by  many  seas  in  their  frail 
craft,  braved  a  course  which  brought  them  finally 
to  the  southern  shores  of  China. 

In  later  days  this  Idst  was  the  regular  route 
taken  by  the  East  Indiamen,  the  merchant  ships 
in  the  employ  of  the  old  East  India  Company, 
and  in  still  later  days  by  the  New  York  tea- 
clippers.  This  course,  as  far  as  the  Eastern 
world  is  concerned,  is  still  adhered  to  by  ..-:ai;.' 
a  traveller  in  the  present  day  ;  but  the  Suez  Canal 
has  lessened  the  voyage  from  one  of  three  to  five 
months  round  the  Cape,  to  one  of  five  weeks,  or 
less  than  a  month  if  the  steamer  is  joined  at 
France  or  Italy. 

Our  American  cousins  have  laid  iron  tracks 
across  their  continent,  so  as  to  reach  China  by 
the  Western  Ocean — scarce  ever  ploughed  before 
the  last  hundred  years — and  by  this  route  arrive 
at  the  centre  of  the  China  coast  at  Shanghai. 

Last  of  all,  the  Siberian  and  Manchurian  Rail- 
ways enable  those  who  so  desire  to  journey  from 
Europe  to  the  north  of  China  in  fourteen  or  fifteen 
days  ;  and,  when  the  line  is  doubled,  the  time 
will  even  be  shorter.  Thus  the  quickest  way  now 
is  what  was  the  longest  way  a  short  time  since, 
and  is  almost  a  reverting  to  the  old  road  to 
this  Empire. 


The  Wandering  Chinaman 

Kk^^""'  *'""!;  *•  ''*•"*''  ^  *•  Middle 
Kmgdom  K.un.eyed  in  their  clum.y,  lumbering 
junk,  far  towards  what  was  to  them  the  utter- 
Za^T  "^  ♦"»  f'^h-to  the  Persian  Gulf,  to 
he  Arab«n  Sea  and  neighbouring  countries.  Then 

stranger   aune    to   explore    the    mystic    land   of 

1«    '^d"     T'  °"  '"^  '^'^''''  ^  -'her  coa,?: 
n^^V      '    V*"  '""'"  '""'"*  °"'  «  ever-increasing 

when  John  Chmaman  began  to  people  some  of 

Lv  h^r  .'^^"V'  ""'  '""''  """^  ''»»'<>""  them 
by   h.s   skill   and   industry   into  lands   producing 

that  all  knowledge,  civilisation,  learning,  a^d 
wisdom  are  not  centred  in  the  Middle  Kingdom 
«udents  are  flocking  now  to  the  Lands  ofre' 
West,  to  acquire  what  they  find  is  still  wanting 
in  their  own  highly-favoured  land. 


XI 


CHAPTER   II 

The  Black-haired  Race 


<  I 


THE  Black -haired  Race  is  a  most  fitting 
descriptive  term  for  the  people  of  China, 
who,  to  a  man,  have  long,  lank,  coarse,  black  hair. 
One  would  infer  that  originally  this  was  not  the 
case.  The  little  children  have  a  brown  shade 
in  their  locks,  which  also  do  not  appear  so  coarse 
as  when  childhood  has  changed  to  manhood.  This 
lighter  shade  is  especially  noticeable  when  the 
sunlight  shines  directly  on  their  baby  heads.  The 
black  colour  has,  however,  been  the  national  dis- 
tinguishing trait  from  the  dawn  of  history,  and 
it  differentiated  them  from  any  blonde  race  which 
may  have  peopled  Central  Asia.  Older  Chinese 
myths  and  traditions  to  this  effect  receive  possibly 
some  support  from  this  designation  ;  for  were 
there  no  other  race  known  to  the  ancient  Chinese 
than  their  own,  land  were  there  no  others  with 
light  hair,  and  thus  different  from  theirs,  one  can 
scarcely  suppose  this  namt  would  have  been 
applied  to  themselves  by  themselves. 


I 


The  Queue  and  Its  Care 

Yet  for  three  centuries  past  most  of  this  black 
shock  of  hair  has  been  shaved  off  the  head,  a 
round  patch  only  being  allowed  to  grow  on  the 
top  and  the  back  of  the  head.  This  hair  is 
encouraged  to  grow  as  long  as  possible,  and  is 
braided  into  a  queue.  This  custom  is  a  result 
of  the  Manchu  conquest  of  China,  for  the  victors 
made  it  a  sign  of  subjugation  that  their  newly- 
acquired  subjects  should  conform  to  their  fashions 
m  this  respect.  The  great  esteem  in  which  the 
Manchus  held  the  horse  was  doubtless  the  reason 
for  the  adoption  of  this  curious  style  of  wearing 
the  hair.  ^ 

So  insistent  wer  ;  -se  seventeenth-century  ron- 
querors  of  the  Ch.  .  ,n  the  razor  being  applied 
to  the  top  of  the  ...a  (there  is  little  use  for  it 
elsewhere),  that  failure  to  conform  was  cause 
enough  for  the  wearer  to  lose  his  head. 

To  the  European  in  China  the  care  bestowed 
on  their  long  hair  by  Chinese  men  is  one  of  the 
most  curious  of  sights.  No  hair-brushes  are  used 
but  the  hair  is  well  combed  out,  as  a  rule,  ever.! 
day.  It  is  difficult  at  first  to  think  that  these 
long  tresses,  three  or  four  feet  or  more  in  length 
belong  to  a  man.  Carefully  combed  out  by  him- 
self or  the  barber,  the  hair  is  plaited  into  a  long 
queue,  m  the  common  style  of  three  strands,  and 
eked  out  in  length  still  further  by  a  piece  of 
cord  till  ,t  reaches  the  knees  or  heels,  and  swings 
and  sways  with  every  motion  of  the  body 
Chaucer,  in  the  "Knight's  Tale,"  might  be  de- 
13 


The  Black-haired  Race 

scribing  the  Chinese  queue  ;  for  all  that  is 
required  is  to  substitute  black  for  yellow,  and 
change  "  her  "  to  "  his  "  in  the  lines— 

"  Her  yellow  hair  was  braided  in  a  tresse 
Behinde  her  backe,  a  yarde  longe,  I  guesse." 

Thus  suspended  down  the  back  the  queue  is  apt 
to  be  in  the  way  when  the  wearer  is  at  work. 
It  is  then  rolled  into  a  Imot  on  the  back  of  the 
head  or  neck,  or  loosely  coiled  round  the  head 
or  shoulders,  and  thus  it  is  out  of  the  way.  This 
is  the  equivalent  of  our  Western  condition  of  being 
in  one's  shirt-sleeves,  and  the  workman  or  servant 
hastens  to  uncoil  and  let  the  queue  down  when 
coming  into  the  presence  of  his  superior  or  master. 
When  the  owner  is  putting  on  his  outer  robe  the 
queue  has,  of  course,  to  be  ->ulled  out,  as  it  lies 
down  the  back  of  the  inner  garment. 

The  cyclist  brings  the  end  of  his  queue  round 
from  his  back,  and  tucks  it  into  his  breast  pocket 
or  the  top  of  his  leggings,  to  prevent  it  beiig 
entangled  in  his  back  wheel.  If  the  queue  be 
caught  in  machinery,  the  poor  Chinaman  miy 
be  scalped. 

One  of  the  most  comical  sights  the  author  has 
ever  seen  was  a  row  of  Chinese  sitting  in  a  hill 
tramcar  in  Hong  Kong.  As  the  tram  went  up  the 
hill  at  a  steep  slope  of  one  foot  in  two,  all  the 
queues  hung  out  behind  the  wearers  at  an  angle 
of  4S''- 

These  queues  are  the  cause  of  the  abundance 
14 


The  Beard  and  Moustache 

of  the  barbers'  shops  and  itinerant  barbers  found 
m  China.  In  the  extreme  south  of  China  these 
men  are  mvanably  Hakkas..     The  calling  of  a 

nnn'I,,''  T  °^  '^^  """'^  '^^'P''^'^  «  China.  Not 
until  the  third  generation  can  the  descendant  of 
one  be  allowed  to  compete  at  the  Civil  Service 
Examinations.  The  other  classes  which  share  with 
the  barber  his  exc:usion  from  the  nation's  literary 
contests  are  actors,  boat-people,  and  slaves. 

trnnhl!  *^^-l"^=°'^  be^'-d  gives  him  but  little 
trouble.  His  anxiety  is  rather  the  want  of  it  • 
for   like  many  Asiatics,  his  hair,  except  on  the  top 

Z^  M  %"  'l^'^  '"  ^™^"''  ^^  "  '^  ^"-nigh 
impossible  for  him  to  grow  a  full  beard.  This 
n^y  account  for  the  origin  of  the  custom,  which 

nil  he  IS  forty-five  years  of  age.  At  that  age  the 
cultivation  of  a  moustache  is  permitted.  This 
consists,  as  a  rule,  of  a  few  stiff  hairs,  forming 
a  sparse  fringe  over  his  mouth.  So  proud  is  the 
gentleman   of  his  moustache   that  he   may  often 

h,!tr"  f  1'''*°^  ^  *'"^  ''°""  ^°"'^'  hanging  to  a 
button  of  his  coat.  This  he  passes  through  the 
samty  hairs  every  now  and  then  in  public  vith  as 
much  nonchalance  as  if  he  were  simply  stroking 

■  Hakkas  constitute  the  latest  immieranti  in  m-  .  «. 
parts.  They  Bowed  into  these  poZf ^f  ,he V„d  fro™'"" 
antral  provinces  of  the  Empire.  They  were  tLe'last^^^h^h 
rt^T^  ?u*T\  *"  **'  ^^'  *«  "de  flowing  from  the  ^0^* 
This,  during  the  last  four  thousand  years  or  more,  resulted  ta  th; 
e^mU  populating  of  the  Empire  from  the  northerTre^ons  =n 
which  the  earliest  arrivals  i:  their  new  home  settled. 
IS 


ri.l 


II 


The  Black-haired  Race 

his  moustache,  as  the  Chinese  old  man  is  fond 
of  stroking  his   grey   beard. 

Some  twenty  years  or  so  later,  the  Chinaman 
is  allowed  still  more  liberty,  and  he  essays  to 
grow  what  by  courtesy  is  termed  a  beard.  It 
consists  of  a  scanty  covering  for  the  chin,  scarcely 
extending  to  his  cheeks.  As  to  whiskers,  a  few 
tufts  of  long  hairs  may  stand  for  them;  but  very 
often  Nature  is  satisfied  with  what  has  already 
been  done,  and  attempts  no  more  in  the  way  of 
hair   on   John   Chinaman's   face. 

Should  he  chance,  however,  to  be  favoured 
anywhere  on  his  face  with  a  mole  which  produces 
a  few  hairs,  these  are  allowed  to  stick  out,  even  if 
he  has  not  arrived  at  the  proper  age  to  grow  a 
moustache  or  beard.  Thus  tolerated,  they  look 
very  odd  on  the  bare  shaven  expanse  of  his  broad 
face. 

The  barbers  are  quite  an  institution  in  China. 
Barbers'  shops  are  open  to  the  street— as,  indeed, 
are  nearly  all  the  shops— and  the  whole  operation 
of  shaving,  with  the  general  mysteries  of  the  trade, 
is  revealed  to  the  passer-by.  No  soap  is  used 
in  shaving,  but  hot  water  is  rubbed  over  the  head 
and  face,  and  then  the  razor  is  applied. 

How  the  Chinaman  stands  the  torture  of  a 
scrape  without  the  mollifying  influence  of  soap  is 
a  mystery  to  an  Englishman.  One  of  the  latter 
described  to  the  author  a  shave  he  experienced 
d  la  Chinois,  and  the  agony  he  underwent  must 
have  been  considerable. 

i6 


!     I 


Toilet  Enormities 

razor  ^LT^J'T  T^  "--««  foreign 

awkward  wedge-shaLd'cr'    '"'  ^""""^'^  *« 
thick  at  the  back    ^nH  '""'  ^^""^^  '^^ 

edge  at  Ae  W  "°""^  *°  ""^  necessary 

8=  at  tiie  front,  was  employed. 

to  grow  to  its  fu  1  leLr    I    th!  ^^'"'"S^d 

with  eoual  if  n„f  mtncate  nature,  and, 

more  tender  and  Lr''"  '^''°''^'^  °'  "^^  ^til 

proceelt  "^^L^lids""'™"'""  °'  *^  "=^"' 
surfaces       Thi.       ^  °''*''  ^d  clean   their 

wiSt  thS;htrhTa  ^tTL^'  ™-' 

is  required  to  Ae  nnl,     t    ^  "^^  ^"''^^f  ^i^t 
that  oft^n  the^yeStls     '"'■^°°'  '^^  *«=  «^"1' 

part  of  the  human  frame  w^th  ^'  Z  ^^  °f  " 

to  the  delight  of  the  sufferer  '""  ^'''' 

17 


if 


The  Black-haired  Race 

are  shaven  produces  a  rank  crop,  and  this  has 
to  be  kepi  down  by  repeated  visits  to  the  barber. 
The  frequency  of  these  depends  on  the  position  a 
man  occupies  m  society  and  on  his  purse      Excep- 
.on  must  be  made  in  the  case  of  mourning,  when 
for  weeks  and  months  the  head  and  face  of  the 
Chmaman  presents  a  hideous  spectacle,  as  ail  hair 
s  allowed  to  grow  then,  till  the  period  of  mourn- 
ing IS  over.     To  add  to  this  unsightly  spectacle 
instead  of  the  red  or  black  cord  in  the  gue^'wue 
m  half  or  sHrh^   ,  .ourning.  is  worn  in'thrsouth 

Li""*'  .^""^  '^'''*'  '"  ^^^P  mourning.  This 
added  to  the  black,  coarse,  lank  hair  stfcking  uj 
m  short  bristles,  is  most  ghastly.  ^ 

The  Chinese  calendar  is  full  of  lucky  and 
unlucky  days;  consequently  there  are  days  when 
■t  IS  well  to  shave,  and  days  when  it  is  well  to 
refram  from  shaving;  and  due  regard  must  be 
dkastS  "^^  ^^^'""^  ''^°  ''°"''l  avoid 

The  price  differs  for  a  shave  in  different  parts 
of  the  country,  but  a  halfpemiy  in  some  places 
IS  a  reasonable  charge  for  the  operation.  Even 
this  or  less,  seems  to  be  beyond  the  means  of 
the  beggar,  who  doubtless  also  thinks  that,  added 
to  his  rags  and  tatters,  a  tangled  mass  of  coarse, 
matted  hair  is  more  likely  to  draw  a  cash  from 
tne  charitable. 

The  strangest  sight  is  to  see  a  whole  nation  in 
mourning,  and  therefore  unshorn.     This  happens 
i8 


Woman  and  Her  Coim,re 

"   promulgated    so   It      ""'"*  "' """  '"°""'i°K 

W  period  of  abstentl"  '   '°  ""'  °"  'J"' 

'«e  women  allow  fh.;,  k  • 
*e  head.  I„  gWhld  i;  ,^'y  '°  ^^'^  ^"  °^" 
-Wch  hangs  dol^  ,h°e  back  S""  k  '"'°  ^  ""«="« 
»<»ne  of  ,he  younger  women  h^T^""  °'  ''"'  ^"" 
»  a  little  knot  af  the  s^e  ^  u  ''°™  *''*="  ''«'' 
looks  very  peculiar  °^  ""*  '''''''"'  '-here  it 

'^e^^rS^itaS^tth'^-ried  women  hind 
->d  the  position  of  the  tire?  a'  "''  '"='''°"' 
hair  is  piaste..^  ,Z.  TeT  '.h  I  ^'^'^'  ""^ 
geUfnous  gun,  made  by  soakinl  th^'l*"  *'*  » 
^  ^''    tree    in    water       Th^    \'  "'''^^"fi^  °f 

contour  of  the  head  to  »h  "'°""   °^   the 

tonese  working.w;:^„  °,;f^^^^^^^^^^^^  ,With  Can- 
of  society,  the  hair  is  oft-n  m  !.  *  '""'"  °^der 
at  the  back  of  the  head  t^  ""°  ^  ""'^  '^""b 
and  sometimes  by  those  a  Ihtle  v  T"^  "^  °*'^"^. 
^«le.  by  an  approach  to  *^''"  '°  ''^  ^°«al 

of  the  head,  a^d  at  fhe  h  u  ^'"^'  ^'  »*»<=  =ldes 
Je  handle  of  a  Va;.!'^  '^^  ^i?"  '°°'^  '^''^ 
the  most  fashionable  some  fiftt  "^^^  '""^  "^^ 
very   exaggerated   fonn       a  '"'  ^^°  '"  ^ 

prevails,  though  eccentricit?.. ''""""  '"°''«  "°* 
every  now  and  then  Th^f,  '*^*'"  themselves 
^iifferent  districts  of^the^^;,  J"  f^^-'^^ly  in 
seen  m  Soo-Chow  lon^  l!.  ?' ,  '^  ^'"'•°''  having 
the  sides  of  the  cleir  ""^'^  ^^^ing  dow^ 
'9 


W'^ 


The  Black-haired  Race 

Little  bo>rs  often  have  all  the  hair  shaved  off,  or 
sometimes  it  is  lefi  mowing,  and  tied  into  two 
tufts  on  the  sides  of  the  head.  When  a  clean  poll 
is  the  boy's  style,  then  he  is  dubbed,  in  pleasant 
badinage,  "monk,"  as  the  Buddhist  priests  or 
monks  have  all  the  hair  shaven  off  their  heads. 

When  the  more  elaborate  way  of  dressing  the 
hair  is  in  favour,  the  coiffure  has  to  last  for 
several  days.  At  night  the  woman  sleeps  with 
the  back  of  the  neck  on  a  hard  earthen  or  bamboo 
or  softer  leather  pillow,  for  fear  of  disarranging 
what  has  taken  much  art,  labour,  and  time  to 
accomplish.  No  frames  or  pads  are  used  by  the 
women  in  doing  up  the  hair,  nor  is  false  hair 
employed,  except  when  absolutely  necessary  to  hide 
baldness.  No  hair-brushes  are  used;  the  hair  is 
combed.     The  combs  are  generally  of  wood. 

Most  women  apply  a  scent,  which  has  rather  an 
unpleasant  odour,  to  the  hair  ;  but  it  must  be  liked 
by  the  Chinese,  though  the  author  has  come  across 
one  Chinese  gentleman  who  thought  it  disagree- 
able. The  blind  singing-girls  have  their  back 
hair  done  into  a  long  arrangement,  which  is 
stiffened,  so  that  it  sticks  straight  down  the  back 
for  about  a  foot. 


CHAPTER   III 

The  Life  Of  a  Dead  Chinaman 

I  ^Tlr"  ^  '"'^  °'  ""^  ^^'""«='  "  The  dead 

In  Chma,  strange  in  so  many  of  it,  customs 
and  so  many  of  its  ideas,  the  dead  rule  theTvine 

th«„  througliout  their  lives,  by  fear  and  the  dread 

the^  'k"  ''''^''""«  "  ""«  done  to  propitTate 

them-an  obsession  at  times  too  awful  forTrd 
The  paradoxical  reigns  supreme  in  Ch^nerSe' 

A  double  row  of  animals  leads  up  to  p      it  s«m.' 

^h  nofr"'  *"  r  °"'^  -  ordlnary^^r 
with  nothmg  specal  to  mark  it  out  as  dilerem 

"  c 


The  Life  of  a  Dead  Chinaman 

from  the  hundreds  that  lie  on  the  hill-side  or  plain 

where   heaves   the   turf   in   many   a  mould'ring 

heap        Now  ,t  is  sought  by  many  who,  when  he 

t?'th'e  r'  T'''  "T  •'^^^  «'^^"  *  P»^^'"g  thought 
to  the  humble  and  insignificant  individual  whose 
body  sleeps  m  this  narrow  cell.  Now.  according 
to  popular  belief,  his  hands  sway  the  course  of 
destmy,  m  response  to  those  who  have  known  how 
to  provide  for  his  posthumous  comfort  by  placing 
h:s  grave  m  a  good  position,  in  fact,  as  governed 
by  the  laws  of  fung-shui. 

The  Chinese  have  a  proverb  that  "  The  most 
important  thmg  in  life  is  to  be  buried  well  "A 
niTJ  !^  "'  ^."'''  =°"''e"i°".  imported  into  the 
In  .f  T  '^r^'  "^'  "  '^^  ^^  °^  death  is  better 
than  the  day  of  one's  birth  "  (Ecclesiastes  vii.  ,). 
The  most  of  us  think  one  soul  is  quite  enough  to 
look  after.    The  Chinaman  has  three-at  leaft  he 
believes  he  has-besides  seven  animal  spirits,  aU 
centred  in  his  being.    A  dissolution  occurs  on  his 
demise,  and  his  souls  are  scattered.    One  goes  to 
the  future  world  to  receive  the  rewards  or  punish- 
ments due  for  the  deeds  done  in  the  body    one 
remains   at    the    grave,    and   one   goes    into    the 
ancestral  tablet.     This  last  is  an  afticle  made  o 
several  pieces   of   wood,    fitted   together,   on    the 
outside  and  mside  of  which  are  written  the  names, 
Wles,  and  dates  of  birth  and  death  of  the  deceased 
The   tablet   IS   set   up,   among  wealthy   and   large 
families  and  clans,  in  the  ancestral  hall 

This    hall    is    a    building    forming    a    general 

33 


The  Soul,  the  Man.  and  the  Clan 

"■■  clan.      Large   estates   ^"'"^  '°   ""^   ^^-""y 
;-st    for    the%ood    of    a,!    hT"'"""   ''^"^   '" 
family,    and    financial        ^\^^^°''Sing    to    the 
gether   the    scattered    „k'"^'"''°"''     "^'"d    to 
-eUastiesofSed     To'r    °'   '""^   '^'^"'    - 
^J«n    is   felt    to    be  1   Jn    .'  '"'''"''^  ^'"^  ^^e 
ostracism  carries  with  it  th^      ^^^^"  '    ^"'^   '^is 
f  f~m   all   the   ^  ti"el  T"''' °'  "eing  cut 
c'an-help  i„  time  of  need  sutr"""""^  '°   '"e 
support  in  difficulty  and  fH,       u"^^^  '"  "'"J  ^ge, 
,.  In  this  clanship':"?  t'lhf'''"' '"^"''^''^■ 
l>eMhe  stronghold  of  the  oM         ^"""°'   ^''^''ip 
Paratively  easy  mat  er  to  1    '  '' '^  ^ -'»" 

'^rship  of  idolsTthatt  ^  "^  '''^  "^^^^ary 
Chinaman's  nature.  BmLeTenTr''  '"  ^''^ 
absurdity  of  a  tripartife  sou.  ■  ''"    ^""^    '^e 

qu-ring  separate  haWtation°K^°^''''''"'  """^  '^- 
-as  the  common  loSSouIe '",  "!?  '°''^'  ^"^'^^ 
uninhabitable  by  the  efflLt"  ,°'  "''  ^^'  ''^come 
nevertheless,  with  wL,  °'  *""^  and  decay- 

the  turbidit;  of  the  Chb'  ""'"  ''^^  ^escribed'as 
and  clings  to  it.  What  h„Td  T''  '^  ^'^"P'^  " 
grip  than  mere  faitb^t  imI  ^^  ^"^  ^  ^'^'ner 
dire  consequences  which  wouId%  ''''^"  °^  *''« 
act  upon  a  belief  in  the  abi^^  "''  "^^'^  ^^  to 
--«-.  The  excommunication  f"'  °V'"=  '^'""^ 
so  serious  a  thing  that  he  h!  .  ""  ^''  '^'an  is 

an  outcast.     wL  „" '^  Ig^r °  "^'^ '""-'^ 
'>°-  to  fall  bac.  upo,^.  ul'lTrZZ,^- 


'III 


1       '       I  hi 


1^1 


The  Life  of  a  Dead  Chinaman 

glamour  and  substantial  results  accruing  from 
otfice  and  literary  distinction  before  liim  if  he  stays 
the  consequences  of  revolt  are  serious  enough' 
it  the  conscience  does  not  hold  supreme  sway 
over  his  being,  principles  are  apt  to  go  by  the 
board . 

Filial  piety  is  supposed  to  be  the  motive  power 
for  the  reverence  of  the  dead.  Not  for  a  moment 
would  the  author  deny  this  virtue  as  a  factor  in 
Chinese  ancestral  worship  ;  but.  after  all  that  can 
be  said  for  this  aspect  of  the  case,  it  still  remains 
hat  one  of  the  chief  and.  most  potent  causes  of 
the  reverence  and  worship  of  the  dead  in  China  is 

fear  of  what  might  result  from  not  propitiating 

the  departed  spirits. 

Another   contributory   cause   is   "olo   custom" 

which  rules  with  stronger  sway  in  the  East  than  in 

the  West. 

To  understand  the  origin  of  this  curious  cult,  we 
must  go  back  to  the  infancy  of  nations.     Chris- 
tianity, with  the  higher  civilisation  it  has  brought 
with  it,  has  caused  us  to  leave  such  thmgs  behind  • 
for  nations  as  well  as  man  when  in  the  child  state 
spake  as  a  child,  understood  as  a  child,  and  thought 
as  a  child.     China,  with  its  reverence  for  the  dead 
past,    with   Its    ultra-conservatism,    with    its    rigid 
adherence  to  the  customs  sanctioned  by  antiquity 
has  clung  to  ancestor  worship,  which  most  of  the 
other  nations  of  the  world  have  long  grown  out  of 
But  though  ancestor  worship  be  a  survival  of 
the  most  primitive  times,  a  relic  of  early  religion 
»4 


A  Supreme  Duty 

the  warp  and  wLfnfT^'  '*  *"  "'°^«  i"*" 
East  that  it  ev"rseem^TK  '"'*'""  '"^  '''^  ^" 
the  human  bJZ  Zl  ''  ""  '"'=«^^'  P^^'  °f 
origin    to  itrr  "P  ^"y  sul^Ject  to  its 

-«^?  al°d  I  S'^s  retatta  h°if  ~'-" 
root  of  the  mattpr  ic  ,  ^  ^  '"'^'^^n  at  the 

Emperor  on^!  ,L^~toTf  P-  Fro.  the 
subjects,   the   influence   of^h  ,  "^^""' °' '''^ 

the  new  monarch  who  ha  T  T"  '^'^  ^°^ 
decessor,  to  perfo™  the  ance  LTriLf '  ",?  ''"■ 
of  one  younger  than  himself  '"  ''°"°" 

is  iil^cr/arr  ::;:^  r  ^•^  r  --  prisoner 
crimes  laid  down  in  the  tt«u  J"b    T""'  '"'  ''"^ 
Because  ancestral  wo  shipTmrin^a    '    '"'  "''^' 
ful  plea  for  mitigation  of'se'ntn  "e  LT"  '"T"- 
circumstances  which  law  could  takV        ^  ""'" 
or   lawyers   could   think   of    1         '°^"'^*"c«  of. 
Wyers  as  such  areTnLl""  MuZ'''   """•* 
sary  is  that  the  culprit  claTm\„  ^      u     "  "^"'- 
should  offer   the   sacr  fices  To   the         '  °"'  ^""^ 
deceased  parents  ''^   """^   "^   his 

This   custom  affects   the  eldest  son,   or,   more 


li'i 


The  Life  of  a  Dead  Chinaman 

especially,  an  only  son.  The  plea  of  being  the  only 
son,  and  consequently  the  only  support  of  an  aged 
mother,  is  constantly  advanced  in  Hong  Kong 
courts  of  justice.  It  receives  the  scant  attention 
our  customs  accord  to  such  a  reason  for  the 
mitigation  of  sentence  or  for  an  unqualified  pardon. 
In  a  Chinese  court,  it  would,  if  proved  true,  be 
acted  on.  The  ultimate  cause  of  many  a  social 
custom,  rule  of  etiquette,  code  of  action,  is  found 
to  be  based  on  this  principle  ;  and  most  rigid  is 
the  conformity  required  to  its  minutest  maxims, 
upon  which  to  a  large  extent  the  fabric  of  society 
is  bi/sed. 

It  13  absolutely  necessary,  for  example,  that  a 
man  have  a  son  to  perform  the  pious  rites  for 
him  ;  hence,  from  the  Chinese  point  of  view,  a 
sufficient  reason  for  polygamy.  If,  after  marriage, 
no  infant  of  the  required  sex  appears  to  perform 
the  sacrifices  and  offer  the  prayers  to  the  father, 
when  deceased,  which  is  the  prerogative  of  the 
eldest  son,  then  a  concubine  or  secondary  wife,  or 
subintroducta  muUer,  is  procured,  to  fulfil  the  hopes 
of  every  married  man.  For  this  reason  nearly 
every  man,  with  the  rarest  exception,  is  married  in 
China,  and  nearly  every  woman  too.  Should  the 
second  wire  thus  taken  only  increase  the  family  by 
daughters,  or  should  she  prove  childless,  a  third 
wife  is  added,  and  so  on  till  the  desired  end  is 
attained.  Failing  all  issue,  a  relative  may  be 
adopted,  to  fulfil  the  functions  of  a  son.  If  this 
be  impossible,  an  outsider  may  be  taken  in  to  fill 
36 


The  Three  Souls 


the  pUce  of  a  son     Here,  then,  is  the  chief  reason 
Chinl      ^^""-'^«^"-''   concubinage   in   vogue   in 

fnll^'u'  ^^^,  ''"  "'^'  ^'"'^^  "^"=  wandering  Celestial 

0  h.s  homeland  is  ancestral  worship;  Lr    s    he 

t  e  broken  by  death.    In  life  he  returns  if  possible 

om  distant  clin.es  to  worship  at  the'tom'bsTa^d 

who    perh"rh'"°K"'  ^"'  '""''^"'^"y  "^^  -i^e! 
wno   perhaps   has    been   married   to   him    in    hi, 

absence^    At  death  his  coffined  bones  are  re  urned 

to   be   bur,ed   at   his   ancestral   home,    where   due 

and  rat'ofT  '/  ""'  '°  ""^  '''"'''  ^^  '^^^^  Sool 
and  that  of  h.s  descendants.    Long  and  tediouf  are 

m.l  K  T  .  "  '^^  °"'"'  =°  '»>»'•  though  a  man 
may  have  d.ed  far  from  home,  his  remains  shaU 
not  be  absent  from  their  right  restingil   a" 

If  a  Chinaman  finds  three  souls  a  handful   what 

.  hands'"  ThTr'^"*^  '^'  "''•'  '^■^  '"-«  -  «htt 
hands  I  The  seven  animal  spirits  are  evidently  of 
httle  account  after  death,  as  these  grosser  plr^s 

e^.ttut"aU^Tre:?or  iSnV"'^  ''"^  '" 
with  offerings  to  meet  leir  ^Lt:  tCIT'" 
believe  that  neglect  wil,  bring  ^L  imiiyt  i" 
tram  misery,  wretchedness.  ^„ury.  and  wl!  and 

27 


1:- 


11       . 


The  Life  of  a  Dead  Chinaman 

the  loss  of  what  they  might  othe.wise  have  in- 
herited in  the  way  of  official  emoluments  and 
literary  distinction. 

For  burial,  "  a  low  position,  where  the  soil  is 
damp,    IS  to  be  avoided,  as  white  ants  would  soon 
nddle  such  a  coffin  in  such  a  place,  to  say  nothing 
of  the  body  lymg  in  moisture.   Such  a  condition  of 
the  coffin,  "  it  is  believed,  the  dead  resent  with  a 
fierce  and  bitter  feeling,  that  seems  to  set  them  in 
the    wildest    hostility    to    the    friends    who    are 
responsible  for  this  sUte  of  things  ;    and  in   the 
Land  of  Shadows  they  plan  how  they  shall  be 
revenged  upon  those  who  have  shown  so  little  feel- 
ing for  them  as  to  bury  them  in  such  a  position  " 
Any  proximity  of  large  trees  is  considered  to  be 
specially  obnoxious   to   the  occupants  of  graves 
It  seems  that  the  waving  of  the  branches  during  a 
storm,  and  the  sighing  of  winds  through  them 
produce   such    doleful   sensations   that   the   spirits 
are  apt  to  get  irritated,  and  by  and  by  "  vent  their 
wrath  by  hurling  calamities  on  the  living." 

Thus  the  dead  to-day  all  over  China  hold  the 
hving  within  their  grip.  They  are  believed  in  some 
mysterious  way  to  have  the  ability  to  change  the 
destinies  of  a  family.  They  can  raise  it  from 
poverty  and  meanness  to  wealth  and  the  most 
exalted  position  ;  but  if  they  are  neglected,  and 
offerings  not  made  to  them  at  the  regular  seasons 
they  will  take  away  houses  and  lands  from  it,  and' 
turn  the  members  of  it  into  beggars. 

The  worship  at  the  tombs  takes  place  twice  a 

28 


Worship  at  the  Tombs 

year,   in   spring  and  autumn,   but   spring   i-    the 
tuat  par  excellence  consecrated   to    the   purpose. 
The  family  reunion  round  the  graves  to  worship 
Ukes  somewhat  the  place  of  our  summer  outings 
From  far  and  near  they  gather.    Boats  and  chairs, 
or  their  own  legs,  carry  the  family  party  to  the 
unenclosed   hill,    where,   amidst   possibly   myriads 
of    other    graves,    and    surrounded    by    numerous 
groups  of  other  worshippers,  they  spread  out  the 
meats   and   vegetables   and   cakes    in    bowls   and 
dishes  ;   light  the  candles  and  incense-sticks  :   put 
fresh  turf  on  the  little  hillock  ;    or  clean  up  the 
horseshoe-shaped   grave.      These    outings    are   a 
combination  of  business  with  pleasure,   and,   the 
M^Z  °^^''  ^  "SreeMe   little   picnic 

That  the  souls  of  the  departed  are  in  the  direst 
straits,  unless  attended  to,  is  the  firm  belief  of  the 
Chinese.    On  the  Chinese  "  All  Souls"  Day  "  pro- 
visions in  tempting  array  are  laid  out  for  them  to 
consume,  while  all  sorts  of  articles  are  forwarded 
to  them  m  the  other  world,  being  sublimated  by  the 
mysterious  mfluence  of  the  element  of  fire      In 
plain  language,  what  in  our  lands  would  be  called 
dolls    houses,  made  of  bamboo  and  paper    boats 
sedan<hairs,    furniture,    all   constructed    of    such 
flimsy  materials  and  only  made  to  be  thus  burned 
are  sent  by  the  fire  and  their  ashes  imo  ghost-land' 
Even  paper  men  and  women  are  also  despatched," 
to  make  the  establishment  complete,  and,  that  all 
necessaries  may  be  procured,  paper  to  represent 
39 


The  Life  of  a  Dead  Chinaman 

money  is  also  forwarded  by  the  same  potent  means. 
From  all  this  it  will  be  seen  that  in  the  Chinese 
mmd  the  future  life  is  merely  a  projection  of  this 
existence  on  to  another  plane  of  life.  In  the  nether 
regions  a  replica  of  this  world  appears  as  far 
as  life,  occupation,  and  motives  are  concerned,  the 
only  difference  being  apparently  that  it  is  a  land 
of  shades  and  darkness. 

The  courts  of  i  e  Kings  of  the  Ghosts  are  a 
reproduction  of  those  of  Chinese  mandarins,  the 
attendants,  like  their  prototypes  on  earth,  are  fierce 
and  cruel,  but  fiercer  and  more  cruel  than  earthly 
ones,  as  the  punishments  in  the  majority  of  cases 
are    conceived    in    the    spirit    of    tyrants.      It    is 
supposed  by  some  that  the  normal  period  for  life 
m  this  purgatory  is  sixteen  years,  by  which  time 
>t    IS    apparently    thought    that,    purged    of    their 
iniquities,   those   who  have  passed   through  it  are 
ready   for   another   period  of   existence  on   earth 
Then    If  their  misdeeds  in  a  former  life  deserve 
It,    their    punishment   is   still   continued,   by   their 
havmg  to  descend  lower  in  the  scale  of  existence. 
Thus   a   man   may   be    bom   as   an   ox,   or   begin 
hfe  anew  as  a  woman.     The  worst  become  worms 
msects,  and  reptiles.     The  good,  on  the  contrary' 
ascend  in  the  scale,  being  bom  into  a  higher  station 
m   life  ;    or   they  may   ascend  even   to   the   skies 
as  demi-gods. 

This  belief  in  the  transmigration  of  souls  is  one 
reason  for  the  abstention  from  flesh  by  many  in 
the  Celestial  Empire.     No  one  knows  how  many 
30 


Man  and  the  Unknown 

lives  a  dead  Chinaman  is  supposed  to  live  again. 

The  nine  lives  of  a  cat  pale  into  utter  insignificance 

beside  the  possibilities  which  open  out  before  him. 

But   the   worst   of   it    is,    he,   as   a   rule,  has   no 

remembrance  of  the  past,  though  Buddha  recounted 

his  experiences  in  the  different  bodies  he  passed 

through  (between  five  and  six  hundred  altogether). 

The  Chinese  have  made  many  attempts  to  lift 

the  dark  curtain  that  hides  the  future  from  mortal 

ken.     The    "  theories   are   oftentimes    vague   and 

contradictory,  and  when  they  are  put  to  the  touch 

of  logic  they  fail  utterly  before  its  tests.     They 

are  as  brave  an  effort,  however,  as  has  ever  been 

made  by  any  heathen  people  to  construct  a  system 

that  shall  try  and  satisfy  the  cravings  of  the  human 

heart  about  the  unknown.     They  are  profoundly 

human,  and  an  exalted  vein  of  righteousness  runs 

throughout  them.    There  is  no  paltering  with  evil, 

and  no  elevation  of  vice  or  impurity,  and  even 

their  ideal  ruler  of  the  Land  of  Shadows,  stem 

and  severe  as  he  is  represented  to  be,  can  always 

unbend  before  the  exhibition  of  goodness  in  any 

of  the  spirits  under  his  control."  ' 

■  Macgowan,  SidtUgkls  on  Chinese  Life,  p.  233. 


I! 


I! 


3« 


CHAPTER   IV 

Wind  and  Water,  or  "Fung-Shui" 

r\F  all   the  vagaries   which   the   human  mind 
W  has  evolved  from  its  inner  consciousness,  the 
palm  must  surely  be  given  to  the  mass  of  rules 
for   the   guidance   of   the   believer   in   fung-shui. 
About  400,000,000  of  our  fellow-men  are  believers 
in  It.   It  doubtless  had  its  origin  in  the  observation  of 
some  of  the  operations  of  Nature  by  an  ignorant  and 
unscenffic  people,  who,  unable  to  assign  correct 
causes  for  effects,  have  let  their  fancy  lead  them 
fn  Th  "■  K    """"'"•«"«  °f  'he  prehistoric  monsters 
m  the  shape  of  a  dragon  (a  green  dragon),  a  tiger  ■ 
(a  wh.te  t.ger)   combined  with  the  five  elen.l^s, 
the  male  and  female  principles,   the  four  points 
of  the  compass,  the  ten  celestial  stems,  the  twelve 
horary   characters-all   these   and   other  elements 
are   un.ted   together  as   a   basis   for   the   wMe 
■magmmgs.     A  favourable  situation  for  a  grave 
or  a  house,  or  a  piece  of  land,  are  matters  in  which 
fung-shu,     ,s     miportai  It     determines     also 

whether   m   repairing  a   house,    in   building   at 
■  Tigers  are  stiU  found  in  many  parts  of  the  Empire 
32 


A  Troublesome  System 

thinl  ,  "'''*'"«  "  *""•  "<"  in  doing  any! 

Jmg    mvolvmg   the   displacement   of   earth    any 

alMhesetTterTut"":;  ""  T-  ''""■""''  '" 
with  graves  the  unl         ,    '"  '""y'^ing  connected 

with  the  ,f,  '  """  °'  /""F-^A"'.  received 
Th.fi         "wngest    opposition    by    the    people 

oetween  Hong  Kong  and  Canton.  The  thought 
of  that  mysterious  wire  passing  over  their  Lnd 
aroused  among  the  peoDlTall  .hi  ">«"  tend 
dread  of  occulf  iniJuen«s  Th '  '1";,'"P"''"*°"'' 
names  of  th.  i-!;  i  f  ^^  ^'^^^y  significant 

Canton   is   the   "City  ^^tl'^^T^ZT: 
the  mouth  of  the  Canton  River  is  known  as  "  Th; 

U'^tt  r  ^'xh'  t  '^='r  "PP-^-  Hon^  Jng^ 
ij   mat   ot      The   Nine  Draeons  "      u/i,-? 

t?rrLh°r'°"^  coui/r-comL':^  r 

to  imk  such  things  together-a  line  to  lead  the 

ln7/'!,^'   '"'°   "''^   ^'^"'^   Mouth,   or  tn     he 
opposite   direction   amongst   Nine  Dragons? 
However,  the  Chinese  Government  wefe  resolved 

*  Thomson,  p.  211, 

33 


wind  and  Water,  or  "Fung-Shul" 

that  ehi,  and  other  lines  .hould  be  constructed, 
and  the  opposition  of  the  people  had  to  give  way. 
When,  a,  sometimes  happened,  the  telegraph  poles 
were  uprooted  by  the  populace,  they  were  siTup 
agam,  and  soldiers  protected  the  employees  of  the 
adinmistration  of  telegraphs  and  their  wc  s  So 
until  the  present  renaissance  of  China,  many 
foreign  innovations  which  cam.,  au.vart  the  Chinese 
line  of  progress  were  objeca-l  to.  as,  though 
perchance  beneficial  to  the  foreigner,  they  would 
be  fraught  with  injury  to  the  Land  of  the  Dragon 
and  the  Tiger.  " 

Not   only    *ould   the   tiger    be   led   along    the 
ground.    ,,    with    the    telegraph    line    just    men- 
tinner-      but  m  the  case  of  railways  this  mythical 
tiger,  or  It  may  be  the  dragon,  lies  in  the  ground, 
and,  though  buried  in  the  earth,  yet  is  evidently 
alive,  and  deeply  resentful  of  any  injury  done  to 
It  by  a  railway  cutting.     At  one  part  of  the  com- 
pass the  dragon  will  be  disturbed  ;  at  another  the 
white  tiger.     Other  elements  also  come  into  play 
in  this  farrago  of  nonsense.     The  whole  thing  has 
been  worked  up  into  what  the  Chinese  consider 
an    exact    science,    with    its    professors,    whose 
occupation  m  life  is  to  find  out  suitable  sites  for 
graves  and  buildings,  and  to  be  consulted  when 
occasion  arises   on   which  their  advice  should  be 
sought.      Do   we  ourselves   discover   any   unsatis- 
factory influences  in  our  surroundings?   The  cause 
IS   looked  for  in  soil,  dampness,  or  atmospheric 
conditions.     With  the  Chinese  this  pseudo -science 
34 


Profcarors  of  the  Art 

made  to  agree  wl.h  I  '.  *"**  "''  ""ditions 
down.  OfTou„rl*^.'  *""  '^'"  have  laid 
by  the  sage  profit!  ^"j^  ''"^''-"'d  a.  once 
with  the  condS,  h  *!.  "'*  "='•"«■  ^°  »*»y 
a'l  will  ^  righ.  or  t  "°  "^  ""  ""P"'''  ""^ 
play  which  Tcou^eracTthlrd  '°"""°°'  '"'° 
•hus  Kood  will  be  evS  ^H:  Tt^  °"'''  '"«« 

Travekr  r  thrCanTor  """'''"  -">'• 
fellow-traveller  wire  r,  '"■°'"""'    ''"=    »"«!   » 

'or  a  pecultTy  sIpedTorr  "an'd""*  '"'  ^="- 
of   the   city   wall   iTl  ^      »"»nding  at  a  corner 

The  expSatTon  1  «  "''  °'  '''■^«'''"»  Hills, 
to  the  ti^  ^eis  loT*^^"^'  "^  "«>«-"8 
native  lips,     rfoulrld  '*"""*   '°   "   '«»" 

understand  such  things  '"  """"^  '°  ^""•' 

now  retired  merchant  wTnK%^''  '*''°"''  "'  '^e 
The  wiseacreTlho  hid  made',  '^n"'  "  ^"^^-l- 
advised  the  erectl,n  ofThI  ^^f^f  f '"^  """^^ 
which  the  hard-earned  savings  ofThe  XllT'-  l' 

seemT^'letlo  ""  '""'•^^'  ^^"^^^^'Zl^ 
seems,   let   loose  amongst  superstitious   beS' 

35 


fM 


Wind  and  Water,  or  "Fung-Shul" 

Many  fantasies  of  the  Chinese  mind,  raised  in 
assigning  causes  for  malevolent  influences,  might 
-were  it  not  that  all  is  taken  in  sober  earnest- 
raise  a  suspicion  that  the  enunciator  of  them,  lilce 
Bret  Harte-s  Ah  Sin.  had  a  card  up  his  sleeve 
It  IS  not  to  be  doubted  that  astute  knaves  are 
enabled,  under  the  excuse  of  fung-shui,  to  earn 
an  mcomie  from  the  credulous. 

.>,  ^k'"  f*°"^<=y  '5'  in  fact,  a  weapon  ready  in 
the  hands  of  those  who  wish  to  injure  others,  or 
of  those  who.   with  a  good  object  in  view,  have 
injured  others,  as  the  following  instance  will  show. 
The  primary  object  of  a  pagoda  in  China  has 
been  to  preserve  the  relics  of  a  Buddha  or  samt. 
The  Chinese  have,  however,  improved  on  this,  and 
firmly   believe  that   to  conserve  or   improve  the 
propitious  gcomantic  influences  of  a  place  it  is 
necessary  to  have  these  picturesque  objects-narrow 
and  polygonal   obelisks   many   stories   in    height 
which  enhance  the  scenery  and  give  a  distinctive 
feature  to  it. 

There  is  at  least  one  pagoda  in  China  which 
has  exerted  a  malign  influence,  as  it  is  believed 
to  be  a  great  hindrance  to  the  prosperity  of  the 
thus"-  '"  *''''*  ''  ''  situated.     The  story  goes 

"Many  years  ago  there  was  a  magistrate 
appointed  to  this  district  who  understood  geomancv 
On  examining  a  hill,  he  found  out  that,  unless  a 
pagoda  were  built  there,  there  would  arise  in  Kwone- 
chi  (the  district  in  question)  some  men  who  would 
36 


A  Pervasive  Difficulty 


«-<•=  a  repLenta.  r  o  the  TH  ''''"  '°  ''^ 
result  that  this  pagoda  w«hr  °"^'  *'"'  'he 
Chi  cannot  produce  a  Xl"^^^"'*  ""'^ '^'^""g- 

From  this  it  will  L  ,^  T"  °^  "°f^" 
"•"ay  be  friend7y  to  onT"  ''''  '"'^'^  '"''"«"-^ 
another.  Thus  one  ChTn«r''°"  ^^  ''°='''«  '» 
o"-  a  place  of  business  Zn  '"'''  """''  ^  "ouse 
earth,  and  the  /««^-.LTL  r"""'"  ^P**'  "^ 
prosperity  will  come  to  him  !,,°"'^'""  *°  >"■•". 
Chinese  should  construct  I  '  ^"^'^  another 

*he  same  purpose,  upon  the  aLeT  ''""''"^'  ^°^ 
only  meet  with  disaste."  became  tS""?'-'^  "°"'^ 
were  hostile  to  him  Wi!  u  iV  '°™'  '"""ences 
business  be  ruined  '  and  th.  "  ''""''^  *«'  ^is 

would  involve  him  n  hop  fes^T'  °'  """  ^P*"'=' 
♦he  other  hand,  if  thrs^:„f '^r'"""  ^^^ 
construct  a  diflferent  style  of  h  m-  ^'"^'*'  ''''""'^ 
building   for   another  ;tj,tfh"^',°''''^^=«''= 

^'''^  Cii"^  :^::-Jf'-'  in  England, 
cause  for  an  action  at  W  "  '°"  h"""'  ^''""'''^  » 
he  and  damages  be  recovered  ffT  '  '""  '"'»''' 
could  show  the  judge  to  l!;  ,^  complainant 

defendant  had  affecfeVthe  om^f  "'""  "'^^  '"^ 
ally  by  damaging  the    un/XflTT  r'""^'"'- 

authors  father  wished,   while  residing  in 

o 


i\ 


Wind  and  Water,  or  "Fung-Shui" 

the  city  of  Canton,  to  have  a  window  put  into  the 
side  of  his  house  which  gave  on  to  a  square  in 
front  of  a  temple.     But  the  master  of  the  premises 
used  as  a  shop  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  square 
objected,  as  it  would  overlook  his  place.     All  that 
would  be  allowed  was  the  putting  in  of  one  or 
two  large  open-work  ornamental  tiles  near  the  roof 
which  permitted  a  small  quantity  of  air  to  circulate.' 
i  he  matter  was  compromised  in  this  way  :    but 
.f  the  window  had  been  insisted  on,  grave  trouble 
would   have   arisen.      If   both   parties    had    been 
Chmese,  it  would  have  been  considered  as  a  valid 
cause  for  action. 

Chinese  houses  have  no  chimneys,  as  they  have 
no  fireplaces,  a  broad  opening  in  the  roof  pro- 
tected from  the  rain  serving  the  purpose  of  con- 
ductmg  the  smoke  from  the  kitchen.  It  conse- 
quently happens  that  in  Peking  ■'  the  Chinese  shun 
as  much  as  possible,  living  next  door  to  a  house 
occupied  by  a  foreigner."  For  the  roofs  of  such 
houses  are  dotted  with  chimneys,  built  simply 
with  a  view  to  comfort  and  convenience,  with  a 
reckless  disregard  of  all  the  laws  of  fung-shui  " 

Some  years  ago  an  American  in  the  employ  of 
the  Chinese  Government  was  prevented  from 
puttmg  any  chimneys  to  his  house,  as  a  high 
Chinese  official  who  lived  next  door  to  him  refused 
to  permit  him  to  have  them.  The  poor  American 
had  to  go  through  the  intense  cold  of  a  Peking 
winter  without  a  fire  in  his  house,  and  had  to  try 
to  warm  himself  with  charcoal  brasiers  When 
38 


^^^  '^^*°«s  that  Matter 

L's^lf;^;^^^';;*;  ^'^'jPjor  the  gasworks  i„ 

P-^ero/':/°;::i;e  n.,.  Which  g„i.e  the 
reference   to   h^^s  "  nH  ?    ^'=    ''''^''■°n«    with 

«diary  buildings  (which  L         i^'  """^  '^^  ="b- 
main  buildings^  at  iS  to  fo'^T''"^'  ""''  ^^-a' 
be  low.   This  is  one  of  the  cW?  "■  """""""^  ^^all 
of  .mportance  are  that  '■  „e^  f  """"'P'^^-   O'^ers 
Jhe  outside  site,  nor  on  either     !;  '.f  "'^  "PPo^ite 
"shall  there  be  a  temni      7  '"^^     °'  '^e  house 
Private  drains  be  arS'S  a    ""J-  ''"'  ^    "'-^  ">« 
Principle.  ;   that   "ceS nlT"^  '°  ^^omantic 
each  other  in  succesl^n    T"^^'  °^  ^°°'-  ^oHow 
and  that  the  wind~e  o^"'  ''^^"'^  «   ""e  ; 
houses.      The    difference!    in    T'u  "'^^'  "^  ">« 
ground    must    be    tak.n  ^^    ''eight    of    the 

the  neighbour-  roofs  must' be"  er"'"""°"'  -"^ 
be  anything  thereon  TiLterferr"'"!'''  '^^'  '''ere 
-A«' of  the  house  in  questbn  "    "  ""''  "'^  Z""^- 

'n  the  case  of  land   ft 
"n>e  and  go  ;    the  heigh'  anT'  "^"'"'^^'  '  *"« 
ground;    -on  which  sS  the  h'n'";!'''  "^  "  "^e 
-.the  low  parts  .led  t^'^tL^--^^^^^ 

39 


i 


Wind  and  Water,  or  "Fung-Shul" 

the  water  is  to  flow  off  ;  and  how  the  trees  are  to 
be  plan'ed,  &c.-are  all  points  that  are  intimately 
connecK^d  with  the  fung-shui  of  the  place." 

In  one  thing  alone  fung-shui  appears  to  be  a 
benefit  to  the  Chinese,  and  that  is  in  tJie  matter 
of  trees  about  villages.  Most  villages  nestled  at 
the  foot  of  hills,  or  standing  solitary  on  the  plains, 
have  a  grove  of  fine  trees  about  or  behind  them. 
This  IS  due  to  the  geomantic  influences  which  the 
trees  are  supposed  to  exercise. 

There   has   often   been  great  objection   to  the 
steeples  or  spires  of  churches  ;   and  in  nearly  all 
cases  the  missionaries  havt.  met  this  objection  by 
constructing  churches  and  chapels  without  them 
In  many  instances  the  buildings  have,   if  not  a 
Chinese  shop  or  house  adapted  to  the  purpose 
been  built  according  to  the  Chinese  mode.     There 
was  much  bad  feeling  with  regard  to  the  French 
Roman  Catholic   Cathedral   in   the   New  City  in 
oanton.     Besides  the  allegation  which  festered  in 
the  mmds  of  the  people,   to  the  effect  that  the 
ground    on    which    it    stood    had    been    unjustly 
acquired   by   the   foreigner,   one  of  the   strongest 
objections  against  it  in  the  Chinese  mind  centred 
m  the  twm  spires  which  dominated  the  whole  city 
A   not   took   place,   and   a   permanent   guard   of 
native  soldiers  had  to  be  placed  at  the  cathedral 
gates. 

A    wise    quidnunc,    after   some   years    of   exas- 
perated   feeling    on    the    part    of    the    populace 
enunciated  the  consoling  statement  that,   instead 
40 


Geomancy  and  the  Grave 

is  called  I      ^         "^  ^"y  °'  ^'*"'''  ^'^  Canton 
that,  some  years  since,  a  number  of  hith  rl 


S'i 


i   ■  I 

if' 


^^^i 


ill 


I 


Wind  and  Water,  or  "Fung-Shui" 

the  wL  P«k.ng-one  to  the  east  and  one  to 

their   occupancy   of   their  final   resting-place 

in  fhe"£::e™T  "^'^  '"'"""^  ''^^^  '-"  ""-d 
iTmM  Cemetery,  as  his  turn  was  to  be 

K^terCelS  '"  B^th''^^*"^  ^°"''  '°  ''« 
-i„i      J  ^^'''crery.         ijut   the   court   astroloeer* 

piace  could  be  found  there  where  he  mieht  li,. 
without  injury  to  the  State,  •  and  hence  ha  hi 
-ust  be  buried  elsewhere.  Months  of  in^' 
t.on,  repeated  references  to  different  boards  Sid 
departments  of  the  public  service,  and  numerous 
commands  from  the  new  Emperor' followed  u^til 
af^r  nme  months  of  effort,  it  was  finally  decTded 

wtl  ?°'"'''='y  ^""''^  "«  be  interred  in  the 
Western  Cemetery,  where  he  belonged,  but  «^th 
certam  precautionary  and  conciliatory  measures 
he  might  be  put  underground  in  the  Eastern' 
Th^  was  done,  as  the  lesser  of  two  evils 

The  whole  Empire  had  been  stirred  over  the 
quest»n.      It    had    been    debated    at    numerous 

mated  at  about  £50,000,  had  been  expended  all 
to  detetmme  at  what  spot  the  coffin  of  the  deceased 
Emperor  should  rest  (Holcombe,  p.    /J^^^'^^^^'^'' 

for   Zth  '°'^"  '"""'"'  above-ground  in  China 

for  months,   or  even   years.      Lack   of  time   for 

the   elaborate   funeral   exercises,   or  of  fi"ds   to 

42 


I.  ! 


The  Grip  of  the  System 

trouble  is  eSrad"sted"a„d  s'"°^'  '"'   " '"^^ 
trivial  and  inrn«c  .       ^  ^^  ^'^^  absurdly 

orUu^bf  «raT"^raT;:b  "-=  "'""*'^' 

hood  had  assbted  in^h  ^^^^^  '"  '''^  "eighbour- 
Placed  over  if  one  of  rr  '"'  '^  ^"^"'^  ^'--^ 
large  city).  S  °  tLrl  °  ''  '*°  '"  ""^  '^hole 
objection  to  the  cha  ",  ^T  ''"'''''°"  °'  ^^^ 
thus  given  a  Qu!.f  '  ""^^  '^°"'<'  ""t  have 
thus  s^^d  4Te"s""T"  ^"'-  ^"'^  '*  "^-l 
why  the  columns  harf;)-  ^''*°'''  °"  squiring 

was  infom,e7  that  ?h.  rT'"''^  '°™^  ^^"^  ^««. 

As    "»»,;/  '^  '^'1  been  taken  down 

As      this   /ung-shui  delusion   holds   fh»        • 

Chinese  nation  in  subjection   thl  Tf  ^""""^ 

art  of  divination  are   as Tdas/'    '''°"  °^  '^^ 

victims  as  are  those  wL         1  '  *'  """''^'y  «s 

number  of  the  ahl^.f  ««  ■  i  ,  *  °''  a  large 
no  effort  to  conceaTthet'::  °V''  "^"^''"^  ^^^e 
°^  his  being  Seed  t  thT'f  ''  '"  "»^  «'^^" 
And  when  in  s^bsegtm  years  f^^!'™  «'''"""^- 
other  disasters  came  uLnL  '"'""'  ^°°'^-  and 
tbese  were  bold  enough  STj^inT^tt:^ 
43 


JfK 


Wind  and  Water,  or  "Fung-Shui" 

memorials  to  the  Throne  that  these  calamities 
came  as  a  result  of  violated  fung-shui,  as  punish- 
ments for  the  interment  of  the  late  Emperor  in 
a  spot  where  he  did  not  properly  belong. 

"  The  effect  of  such  a  system  upon  the  lives  of 
those  who  accept  it  can  hardly  be  realised.  That 
it  must  interfere  with  business,  check  enterprise, 
and  hamper  that  individual  freedom  of  action 
which  is  essential  to  healthy  development— all  this 
is  evident.  But  it  goes  far  beyond  this.  It 
makes  men  by  turns  crazy  fanatics  and  senseless 
cowards.  And  no  cowardice  is  so  damaging  and 
hopeless  as  that  which  fears  intangible,  unseen 
dangers— dangers  which  a  man  cannot  struggle 
against,  and  from  which  he  cannot  run. 

"  It  can  easily  be  imagined  that  such  a  system, 
with  its  innumerable  ramifications  and  varieties 
of  applications,  might  absolutely  block  the  wheels 
of  organised  social  and  business  life,  and  bring 
all  things  to  a  standstill.  Perhaps  it  would,  were 
not  the  Chinese  remarkable  for  their  capacity  of 
adjustment,  and  for  the  patience  and  success  with 
which  they  manage  to  evade  difficulties  and  to 
compromise  where  they  cannot  readily  co!  quer. 

"  Were  they  less  phlegmatic,  good-natured,  and 
practical,  the  existence  of  this  universal  super- 
stition must  long  since  have  driven  the  entire  race 
into  lunacy."  ' 

*  Holcombe,  pp.  152-4. 


CHAPTER   V 

The  Much-married  Chinaman 

'P  HE  average  Westerner  doubtless  thinks  that 
.„  I,  •'"''".'^'"""nan  is  very  much  married  ;  and 
so  he  .s,  ,f  on  y  those  who  have  a  multiplicity 
of  w.ves  are  taken  into  account.  But  there  are 
many  who  are  content,  or  have  to  be  content 
with  monogamy.     Circumstances  over   which   he 

the  Chin""'"' °'''="  '"'"•  ^--'^■"^  »°  »>''  deat 
the  Ch  naman  mto  polygamy..  There  is,  or  should 
be  only  one  queen  in  the  house-whether  it  be 
hove  or  palace-which  stands  for  the  word  home. 
Bur  the  assessor  or  assessors-who,  according  to 

lent"'  k"^'  ''"^''  "'  "^'''^  '°  --"the 
queen    be  obedient   to   her,   and   live   in   harmony 

with  her-at  times  usurp  her  province.     Then  civi^ 

war  or  domestic  strife-a  thirty  vca.s'  war  some 

thTs'tr   e"n    :°"*=-^"^"^'-     The  king  who  finds 
the  strife  of  tongues   too   much  for  him    and   i, 
unable  to   rule  his   unruly   queens,   is   ^^(Z,  I 
^es  obliged  to  separate  the   warring' elemems 
and  locate  them  in  separate  homes  ;    tho^  III 
■  See  Chapter  III.  p^  i^  ^J. 
4S 


Us!? 


I'lllJ 


The  Much-married  Chinaman 

his  efforts  will  not  stop  the  continual  dropping 
of  hints,  inuendoes,  blame,  and  abuse  by  angry 
and  contentious  women. 

A  multiplicity  of  wives  is  a  luxury-and  an 
expensive  one  at  that-even  for  the  rich  ;  but  an 
exception  may  be  made  in  the  case  of  the  com- 
paratively poor  man,  if  the  partners  be  taken  in 
moderation.  For  in  such  a  case  two  female 
members  of  the  household  may,  with  sewing  and 
embroidery  and  shoemaking,  double  the  income 
of  the  home. 

It  is  considered  far  bettifr  for  a  woman  to 
occupy  the  position  of  a  wife  than  that  of  a  con- 
cubme,  and  people  of  means  or  of  great  respect- 
ability as  a  rule  see  to  their  daughters  taking 
the  supreme  position  in  a  household. 

■'  It  is  difficult  even  to  guess  at  the  extent  of 
polygamy,  for  no  statistics  have  been  or  can  be 
easily  uken.  Among  the  labouring  classes  it  is 
rare  to  find  more  than  one  woman  to  one  man  • 
but  tradesmen,  official  persons,  landholders,  and 
those  in  easy  circumstances,  frequently  take  one 
or  more  concubines-perhaps  two-fifths  of  such 
persons  have  them.  Show  and  fashion  lead  some 
to  mcrease  the  number  of  their  women,  though 
aware  of  the  discord  likely  to  arise,  for  they  fully 
believe  their  own  proverb,  that  '  Nine  women  out 
of  ten  are  jealous.' 

•'  Yet  it  is  probably  true  that  polygamy  finds  its 
greatest  support  from  the  women  themselves.   The 
wife  seeks  to  increase  her  own  position,  by  getting 
46 


Polygamy  In  Practice 

more  women  into  the  houw  to  relieve  her  "  in  •    r 
own  work  and  humour  her  fancies.    The  Chinese 

m^""H''V""'°"  "y  '=°'"P*""«f  'he  wife  to Te 
ITk  u^'  concubine,  ,o  the  star.  ,  „th  of 
whKh  m  .he.r  approprUte  sphere,  wait  upon  and 
re^ve  around  the  sun.  I,  is  not  infr<.,ue„t  for 
a  man  to  secure  a  maidservant  "  fo.    ■  ,h'  family. 

for  a  concubme,  especially  if  h.s  <,or«pation 
frequently  call  him  away  from  home."  •     i^t^u 

le^in,'  h  r  f "  ".'  "  ""  "•^'"'"^'  --".no 
leaving  his  wife  m  charge  of  the  housol.cl' 

hJ^     ^'^  ";'  ^'*  '"""^»  "^  'he  nation  ir-  at 

frX  thJ  O    '/f '""  •"'  P""'«-     A  sentence 

class.cs,   ,s  constantly  in  use   by   women.      I,   i.s 

their  f,:!r"=  ^•'''^  P"-^°"'  ''•""K  cultivated, 
their   families    were    regulated."      When    a    wife 

n  s'av  ••  vT!  K  ''"u^'"'"  ""  '"'h,  as  much 
failed  ?„  T  "'  ^^  ''""^'"«  '"  »  concubine, 
failed  to  regulate  your  conduct  and  person  " 

l>reVsedTr'''"-^'''"'"  *'^  '""""«»«  -"^^^  «" 
pres  ed  the  opmion  to  the  author  that  polygamy 

was  largely  responsible  for  the  bribery  and  cofru^- 

t.on   of   official    life,   and   while   it   existed   sTh 

practices  would  not,  or  could  not,  be  J^ven  up 

His  behef-and  it  is  widely  shared-was  thTt  "he 

expenses  of  a  harem,   «ith  all  rhe  incidema  s  of 

servants  and  an  indefinite  number  of  childTen   was 

■  WUliams,  r*<  UiddU  KiHgdom.  i.  pp.  „,^ 

47 


.  I 


The  Much-married  Chinaman 

one  of  .he  main  reasons  for  the  urgent  need  of 
a  much  larger  income  than  legitimate  official 
sources  could  be  expected  to  grant  or  afford  to 
those  filhng  high  posts  under  the  Government 

Thousands  of  years  ago,  one  of  the  most 
renowned  men  in  China  married  the  two 
daughters  of  one  man  as  equal  wives.  This 
sohtary  case  has  served  as  a  plea  with  many  a 
woman.  It  is  pitiable  to  see  how  so-called  wives 
try  to  use  It,  endeavouring  thereby  to  show  that 
they  actually  fill  the  position  they  would  hold  if 
they  could.  The  author  in  his  official  life  -.aw 
not  a  few  cases  in  which  a  secondary  wife  or 
concubme,  has  said  that  she  was  the  egual  wife 
of  the  man  who  has  another  legal  first  wife.     She 

r  f'„  u"  '""'^^""'^  '"'=''*"''  t°  P~mi  that 
she  shall  be  his  equal  wife.  But  no  plea  o;  that 
kmd  IS  of  any  avail,  as  there  is  but  one  legal 
first  wife  m  China,  and  no  one,  while  she  is  alive 
can  be  her  equal.  The  others  ar*  called  wives 
by  courtesy  only,  and  their  position  is  a  lower 
one  than  that  of  the  legal  principal  wife  "  If 
names  be  not  correct,  language  is  not  in  accord- 
ance with  the  truth  of  things,"  ■  is  another  quota- 
tion from  the  classics,  which  the  Chinese  use  when 
wife"       ^   "^^^   ^  "^  ''^"^   ''*'  concubine  his 

The  sayings  of  a  people  often  give  a  clue  to 
their  feelmgs.     The  following  sentence  -  from  the 

4S 


!■        I 


A  Popular  Excuse 


by  the  fact  th.t  L  '^  ""^^  ''«  gathered 

o^o.JtJ'^X^  """""  "  "^  """-'  "^' 

wiftd*^  S^'tat  """^  ""'  """^  'J"-''  »  second 
wue  does  not  take  up  much  room  ;    but  with  the 

«;°srr-r  €"*■"-- - 

what   would   be   consiH,.r„rf  .  "'   '""' 

Western  lands  Vritdl  1  T  „rV"  °"^ 
q«ence  of  unproductiveness  on  the  pan  or.'h" 
wife,  or  of  wealth,  which  allows  the  n„m  ,  ""^ 
portions  Of  the  family  to  .^  exTa^idL  ""'"'  """• 
49 


The  Much-married  Chinaman 

Though  the  natural  feelings  at  the  bottom  of 
a  woman's  heart  are  against  sharing  a  husband 
with  others,   yet,   so  imperative  are  the   demands 
of  custom  and  religion  for  a  male  heir,  that  she 
is   pleased   in   many   cases   to   stifle   her   heaven- 
bom  instincts  and  be  content.    In  some  cases  even, 
a  wife  urges  on  her  husband  to  satisfy  the  clamrnt 
need  of  a  family,   by  procuring  what  may  prove 
to  be  a  rival  to  her  in  his  affections— presuming 
that  the  affections  have  been  called  into  play  by 
their  marriage  and  are  not  lying  dormant  for  some 
beauty  to  claim  them.     It,  must  be  remembered 
in  this  connection  that  the  wife's  ancestral  tablet 
is  set   up   by   the   side  of   her   husband's   on   her 
death,  and,  if  a  son  is  needed  to  pay  the  proper 
pious  rites  to  his  late  father,  a  son's  services  are 
also  required  for  her. 

•  As  far  as  the  parties  themselves  are  concerned, 
the  marriage  of  a  legal  first  wife  and  her  husband 
might  almost  be  described  as  automatic.  The 
machinery  is  set  in  motion  by  the  parents,  the 
parties  themselves  having  nothing  to  do  with  it. 
What  necessity  is  there  for  them  to  see  each  other? 
They  seldom  do,  unless  it  be  in  the  country,  where 
it  would  be  well-nigh  impossible  for  the  boys  and 
girls,  even  with  the  seclusion  of  the  latter  in 
Chinese  life,  not  to  have  passed  before  each  other's 
eyes.  It  is  possible  for  the  young  man,  in  some 
cases  at  all  events,  to  manage  to  get  a  glance 
at  his  future  wifej  but  that  is  all,  and  in  many 
cases  not  even  a  glimpse  is  seen  by  the  future 
husband  of  her  who  is  to  be  his  wife, 
.so 


\  "■•, 


'■W". 


-^ 


mm^m: 


Domestic  Tragedies 


nJ,  «°-^"r"="  ="■""?«"  everything  with  the 
parents  on  both  sides.  There  is  much  |oing  back 
and  forward;  the  fortune-teller  decidfs  whether 
he  horoscopes  of  the  couple  agree  ;    presents  are 

r  ml"r1""r'  '  .""^  ^'  '^^  -  erL  seri  s  o 
dLT  M  "^  ""'"  '^y'  '=kes  place,  an  in- 

dispensable worship  of  ancestors  being  on^  of  the 
most  important.  ^  '"* 

th.^'i!.'  Tu  '^'  '"'=""»''  "^  ">«  pair  be  when 
he  red  cloth  «  lifted  from  the  bride's  facias 
she  steps  out  of  the  red  bridal  sedan -chaTr  ftn 
wh.ch  a  woman  only  rides  once  in  her  We  ,  aid 
the  wo  persons  who  have  not  been  consulted  nThe 
affair  face  each  other,  probably  for  the  first  t"me? 
Bound  together  for  life  they  are  whether  T 
or  beautiful,  diseased  or  sou/d,  in^inS"r  th 
only  a  small  modicum  of  brains.    Imbecility   eC 

at  the  sight  of  a  beauty  greater  than  could  possibly 

satisfy  a  husband  as  to  the  qualities  of  mind  o^ 
temper  unknown  and  untried  in  the  past 

That  tragedies  arise  from  such  a  course  of  action 
IS  natural  and  inevitable.  A  case  of  wWch  h" 
au  hor  heard  many  years  ago  may  show  tJe 
occasional  result  of  bringing  the  two  together 
without   any   preliminary    introduction    and^fmer: 

After  all  the  noise  and  excitement  of  the  crowd 
were  over,  the  bridegroom  saw.  to  his  ho  ror If 
he  had  not  noticed  it  before  on  the  arrival  of  tie 
5' 


■ii 


.4; 


1 


1, 


The  Much-married  Chinaman 

bride,  when  the  conventionalities  prevented  any 
action),  what  an  ugly  creature  his  newly  espoused 
wife  was.  His  whole  soul  revolted  at  the  union 
with  such  a  hideous  object.  Spuming  her  with 
cruel  words,  he  retired  to  rest  alone,  and  left  her 
to  cry  out  her  misery  in  the  comer  of  the  room 
all  night. 

On  the  other  hand,  it  is  a  fact  that  a  veritable 
affection  does  grow  up  in  not  a  few  cases  between 
couples  thus  brought  together,  and  so  a  situation 
fraught  with  every  possibility  of  evil  is  rendered 
harmless.  If  the  first  wifA  dies,  another  can  be 
married  to  "  take  the  room  "  of  the  deceased, 
"  to  carry  on  the  house,"  as  it  is  termed,  and  this 
so  shortly  after  the  death  of  the  former  as  would 
be  considered  scandalous  in  our  Westem  world. 
A  woman  takes  so  inferior  a  place  in  the  economy 
of  the  East  that  a  husband  is  not  required  either 
to  attend  the  funeral  of  a  wife  or  to  express  grief 
for  her  df,:.:e  by  wearing  mourning— and  this 
in  a  lacd  "'.ere  the  utmost  punctiliousness  is 
observed  in  all  such  matters. 

All  the  children  bom  under  this  expansive 
system  of  wedlock  are  technically  the  children 
of  the  first  wife,  and  call  her  the  "  big  mother." 
These  children  are  all  legitimate,  and  appear  to 
be  equals,  though  their  mothers  are  not,  or  may 
not  be,  theoretically  speaking.  Practically,  there 
is  often  not  much  difference  in  everyday  life  in 
the  positions  of  the  women  who  own  one  man 
as  their  husband. 


The  Motlier-in-Law 

The  chief  wife  is  the  head  of  the  womenfolk, 
if  there  is  no  mother-in-law  alive.  If  there  be, 
then  the  mother-in-law  rules,  and  often  with  a 
rod  of  iron.  A  :ruel,  tyrannical,  and  hard- 
hearted woman  can  make  the  life  of  daughters- 
in-law  and  subsidiary  wives  and  slave-girls  a 
perfect  misery,  and  the  poor  little  wife  has  a  hard 
struggle  indeed.  For  the  wife  is  supposed  to 
bear  everything  in  patience  and  submission,  and 
to  wait  hand  and  foot  on  the  mother-in-law.  In 
the  West  the  mother-in-law  is  often  a  much- 
maligned  person  and  the  butt  of  many  a  joke. 
In  China  the  mother-in-law  is  held  up  to  the 
highest  respect  and  almost  worship. 

The  feelings  of  this  august  personage  towarcb 
the  daughter-in-law  may  be  judged,  as  well  as  the 
feelmgs  of  her  poor  inferior  towards  her,  from 
the  following  advice  by  a   Chinese  :    "  There   is 
no  such  thing  as  a  mother  not  loving  her  daughter  • 
nor  is  there  such  a  thing  as  a  mother-in-law  not 
hatmg    her    daughter-in-law.      Would    that    the 
mothers-in-hiw  in  this  world  would  expend  thirty 
per  cent,  of  the  love  for  their  daughters  on  their 
daughters-in-law."    The  mother-in-law  is  the  head 
of   the   family,   at   least   as   far   as    the    domestic 
arrangements  are  concerned,   so  the  daughter-in- 
law   is    virtually    in    most    cases    a   slave    to    the 
mother-in-law,   and  her   servitude   is   a   long  and 
bitter  one,  unless  the  mother-in-law  is  kind-hearted 
in  disposition. 

Though  reference  has  already  been  made  to  the 
53  e 


II 


wnM. 


The  Much-married  Chinaman 

domestic  difficulties  due  to  this  semi-legalised 
system  of  concubinage,  it  is  the  fact  that  cases 
do  occur  where  the  utmost  harmony  appears  to 
prevail,  where  one  would  suppose  such  a  course 
incompatible  with  human  nature.  A  curious 
instance  came  under  the  author's  notice,  where 
two  cousins,  married  to  one  man,  were  as 
harmonious  and  happy  together,  to  all  outward 
appearances,  as  sisters. 

The  exhibition  of  affection  on  the  part  of  man 
or  woman  to  the  opposite  sex  is  frowned  on  by 
Chinese  custom  and  prudery.  The  outward  signs 
of  it  between  husband  and  wife  are  wanting. 
Kissing  is  most  indelicate,  except  between  elders 
and  little  children,  and  then  it  takes  the  shape 
of  smelling  the  cheeks.  Nevertheless,  from 
inquiries  the  author  has  made,  he  has  ascertained 
that  even  husbands  and  wives,  where  there  is  love 
between  them,  know  how  to  kiss  each  other,  when 
none  can  see,  or  suspect  them  guilty  of  such 
conduct. 

There  must  be  many  a  loveless  marriage  in 
China  ;  and  the  laxity  of  the  marriage  bond  (as 
regards  the  man  alone)  a.id  its  wide  circumference 
as  regards  more  than  one  woman  to  one  man, 
give  free  play  to  the  husband.  If  he  does  not 
find  a  sweetheart  at  home,  he  seeks  and  finds  one 
abroad,  whom  he  may  bring  into  his  house  as  a 
secondary  wife. 

The  taking  of  a  concubine  is  a  much  less  serious 
business    than   Uie   marrying    of    a    wife.      It    is 
54 


11 


A    MILITAKV    MANDAR 


I 


AM)   WIFE. 


Costly  Weddings 

mentary  proportion,  at  times  ''"" 

fwid  ,    and   in   a   country   where   a   hiel,   rate   „f 

uZTl^vrT"'  """"'"«  'hemselvef for  years 
■f  not  for  life,  by  their  extravagant  expenditure 

As  a  concrete  illustration  of  this  there  m.!K- 
instanced  the  case  of  .  r-i,-        '^'S'  "ere  may  be 

.ui^cu  me  case  of  a  Chmese  in  Sineannro  «,»■« 

£40  He  himself  drew  a  salary  of  nearly  £7^ 
month,   out   of   which    hi.    „,j-  *^     '^  * 

course,  it  was'  L^b ifV  ^^^t''  sul  t'  °' 
««penses.     i„  a  country  like  Chi^  hough   S 


i 


'( 


7  fei 


iiaJlN 


utaocon  hboiution  tbt  chaut 

(ANSI  and  ISO  TEST  CHAUT  No.  2| 


iai2j 

■  25 

lit  Urn 

1^ 

ILL  '""^ 


^ 


x^PPLIED  IIVHGE    In 

1653   Ea«l   Main   SIrMi 

AocttMtw,   Naa   York         M609       USA 

(716)   ««2  -  0300  -  Pfion. 

(716)  288  -  5988  -  FOK 


The  Much-married  Chinaman 

lasciviousness,  jealousy,  talkativeness,  thieving, 
disobedience  towards  her  husband's  parents,  and 
leprosy.  But  the  author  scarcely  remembers 
coming  across  a  case  of  divorce  during  his  long 
residence  in  China  ;  and  the  requirements  in  the 
resort  to  it  are  sufficient  to  prevent  its  being  often 
carried  out  in  real  life,  as  far  as  regards  a  first 
wife. 

To   begin   with,   her  parents  must   be  alive   to 
receive   the   discarded   wife.     Moreover,    there   is 
a  high  standard  of  morality  amongst  respectable 
and   well-to-do   families   in   China  ;     so   that   the 
second    reason    is   not    likely    to    occur.      As    to 
jealousy,  the  author  has  seen  a  great  deal  of  it 
in  China.     As  regards  this  and  talkativeness,  the 
Chinese   husband   apparently   thinks    that    "  what 
cannot  be  cured  must  be  endured."     Thieving  is 
not    worthy    of    attention    as    a    reason    amongst 
respectable  people.     As  to  her  husband's  parents, 
a  wife  is  married  as  much,  if  not  sometimes  more,' 
to  be  a  daughter-in-law  a.t  to  be  a  wife  ;  and,  with 
the   ingrained   respect   the   Chinese   have   for   the 
aged,  transgression  is  not  likely  to  be  more  than 
venial,  except  in  a  few  cases.     The  last  reason, 
leprosy,  is  a  more  serious  matter.     But  the  go- 
between   is   supposed  to   see  that   the   bride -elect 
is  healthy  and  well,  and,  though  there  are  many 
lepers  in  China,  the  percentage  to  the  population 
cannot  be  very  great,  so  the  contingency  of  its 
occurring  is  small.     With  concubines  the  matter 
is  very  different  ;  and,  if  she  have  no  relations  to 
56 


Child  Labour 

make  it  unpleasant  to  her  so-called  husband,  she 
has  no  redress.  Divorce  in  Chii  ,  if  acted  on  is 
quite  one-sided  ;  no  wife  could  fhink  of  divorcins 
her  husband-the  king  does  no  wrong,  can  do  no 
wrong. 

There  is  many  a  capable  woman  in  China,  and 
when  such  a  one  is  married  to  an  incompetent  man 
or  a  confirmed  gambler,  or  a;.  opiun>  sot,  she  is 
compelled,   if   in   poor   circumstances,    to    be   the 
bread-winner  of  the  family.     Amongst  the  poor 
both  husband  and  wife  support  the  family  by  their 
labours,  and  the  children  add  their  mites  as  soon 
as   able,    begmning   by  scouring   the   streets   and 
water's  edge  for  every  scrap  of  wood  or  shaving 
to  keep  the  pot  boiling  at  home.     They  soon  leam 
to  mmd  a  street  stall,  or  to  do  any  other  thing  to 
help.     The  baby  is  strapped  on  their  backs  when 
they  are  little  more  than  infants  themselves,  and 
thus  baby  IS  out  in  the  open  air  nearly  all  day 
long,  and  kept  out  of  mischief's  way,  while  the 
httle  brother  or  sister  is  picking  up  chips  or  doing 
some  other  light  toil  to  add  to  the  means  of  the 
house. 

Marriage  by  proxy  is  in  vogue  in  China  If 
circumstances  should  make  it  impossible  for  the 
prospective  bridegroom  to  return  home  his 
presence,  in  some  districts  of  the  country  is  not 
considered  an  absolute  necessity.  In  such  a  case 
a  cock  may  be  his  proxy  (this  actually  occurred 
with  a  servant  of  the  author)  ;  and  on  return  home 
the  man  may  find  a  wife  waiting  for  him  and  the 
57 


The  Much-married  Chinaman 

whole  ceremony  finished  without  the  trouble  of 
his  going  through  it.  It  always  appears  to  be 
necessary  for  the  woman  to  be  present,  though 
of  so  Uttle  consequence  is  the  consent  of  the  two 
parties  to  a  marriage,  that  one  might  almost 
suppose  they  could  be  married  in  the  absence  of 
both. 

The  height  of  absurdity,  however,  seems  to  have 
been  attained  when  a  poor  girl  is  married  to  a 
dead  man.  This  is  not  an  uncommon  occurrence, 
when  a  girl's  betrothed  dies,  before  marriage.  It 
is  then  considered  the  height  of  virtue  and  pro- 
priety when  the  maiden  announces  that  she  will 
marry  the  dead.  She  then  leaves  her  parents  and 
her  childhood's  home,  and  is  practically  dead  to 
her  own  home  and  relatives,  as  a  wife  nearly 
always  is.  She  takes  up  her  abode  with  the 
mother  of  the  dead  man,  and  of  course  is  never 
really  married  to  a  living  man  ;  for  in  respectable 
society  in  China  it  is  considered  disgraceful  for 
a  woman  to  take  another  man  as  her  husband. 
A  man  may,  however,  marry  over  and  over  again 
without  let  or  hindrance.  However,  many  a 
Chinese  widow  consoles  herself  with  a  husband 
again  after  the  death  of  the  first  ;  but  this  is 
more  especially  the  case  in  the  lower  classes  of 
society.  In  the  higher  classes  it  is  considered 
to  be  a  disgrace  to  the  late  husband's  family  for 
the  widow  to  marry  again.  A  second  marriage  of 
a  woman  is  a  very  different  affair  from  the  first  ; 
there  is  no  red  bridal  sedan-chair,  ana  the  whole 
S8 


Marriage  and  Morals 


thiug  may  be  a  very  commonplace  affair,  in  com- 
parison with  all  the  pomp  and  ceremony  of  the 
first. 

Amongst  the  very  lowest  classes  there  is  a 
certain  amount  of  immorality,  or  looseness  of  the 
marriage  tie,  in  the  way  of  a  wife  leaving  her 
husband  and  taking  up  with  another  man.  This 
is  sometimes  the  case  when  a  husband  goes  abroad 
for  years.  In  the  case  of  the  boat  population  it 
is  a  matter  of  common  report  that  the  women  are 
not  as  virtuous  as  those  on  land.  In  the  cases 
in  which  a  wife  leaves  her  husband,  generally 
amongst  the  working  classes,  a  number  of  which 
came  before  the  author  in  his  official  capacity, 
he  found  that  the  husband  was  usually  quite  ready 
to  take  the  wife  back  again  ;  but  the  chief  concern 
was  to  get  the  son  returned  again  to  the  family 
in  which  he  was  born,  so  as  to  have  a  son  for 
ancestral  worship.  For  the  same  reason  the  other 
man  was  sometimes  wishful  to  retain  the  boy. 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  it  is  the  man  who  has 
all  the  plums  in  the  marriage  market— as  many 
wives  as  he  likes,  or  his  purse  will  allow,  divorce 
in  certain  cases,  and  besides  these,  the  power  to 
beat  his  wife.  Man  is  considered  superior  to 
woman  in  every  way  in  China. 

The  Chinese  youth  begins  his  married  Bfe  early. 
Boys  are  of  age  at  sixteen,  and  most  Chinese 
young  men  are  married  at  twenty,  and  sometimes 
even   years  before. 

The  girls  are  considered  to  be  qtiite  mature  at 
59 


r   ,( 


|i 


The  Much-married  Chinaman 

fifteen,  and  some  are  married  long  before  that 
age.  There  is  no  doubt  that  both  boys  and  girls 
arrive  at  maturity  far  earlier  than  in  the  West  ; 
but  there  is  no  doubt  also  that  the  Chinese  enter  on 
■  married  state  too  early  in  life. 


60 


CHAPTER   VI 

John  Chinaman  Abroad 

JOHN  CHINAMAN  is  not  welcomed  abroad  in 
J     n^ny  places  where  l,is  advent  would  be  most 

scooerH"  ;  T^''  ^'  ■'^^  ''«^"  «"°'^d  full 
aZrhehrt'  •"^.^'^'"-able  qualities  in  coloni- 
sation, he  has  been  the  making  of  the  country  He 
s  pamstakmg,  diligent,  industrious;  he  whI  work 
fn>m  early  ^wn  to  late  night;   h;  does  no^o 

iut  is^af  h?         "J^^  ^"''  ^"'"'  ^""'^y  ^  ^e". 
they  are   in  Lr      ""'  '^'^     ^'  *°  ^is  vices 

,h^l!^°"    u'''"''^   spectacles.    a,:d    you    will   be 

«Th^  '•'  'hA™'""'""'^  °f  ->««  °f  «he  European 
res  dents  m  China  ;  at  the  often  seen  drunkeMess 
of  the  soldier  and  sailor  ;  at  the  rudeness  X^h 
characterises  the  conduct  of  some  to  the  OrS 

a   walkmg-stick,    or   a  prod   from   an   umbrella 

or  a  slasn  trom  a  riding-whip,  as  one  passes    fe 

other;  by  the  ill-disguised  superiority  which  shows 

6i 


"4 


\:  M 


John  Chinaman  Abroad 


itself  in  some  cases  in  almost  every  word  and 
action;  in  the  hauteur  which  often  reveals  itself 
in  the  countenance  ;  in  the  ignorant  disregard  of 
Chinese  rules  of  politeness,  even  the  most  elemen- 
tary, which  the  Westerner  not  only  does  not  know, 
but,  strange  to  say,  does  not  even  take  the  trouble 
to  learn,  tiiough  living  surrounded  by  masses  of 
natives  who  are  polite  to  ,in  almost  painful  degree 
in  the  only  way  they  know. 

The  Chinaman  did  not  want  the  intruding 
Westerner  in  his  country  two  centuries  ago;  but 
the  stranger  would  come  in,  and  used  his  battle- 
ships to  open  a  way  for  him  to  enter.  It  was 
inevitable,  doubtless,  and  China  has  benefited 
vastly  by  the  stranger  within  her  gates,  as  most 
countries  do— benefited  vastly  by  the  influx  of 
Western  civilisation;  by  the  breezy  freshness 
infused  into  the  air  of  stagnation;  by  the  intro- 
duction of  a  new  literature  abreast  of  the  times, 
which  is  largely  due  to  the  missionaries'  efforts; 
by  the  establishment  of  hospitals  under  missionary 
a2gis,  for  the  ;ure  of  those  whom  ignorance  had 
left  to  suffer  and  die;  by  the  multiplication  of 
schools,  where  the  mind  was  educated,  and  not 
only  the  memory  at  the  expense  of  mind— this 
again  has  been  done  mostly  by  the  missionaries. 

When  the  Chinaman  followed  the  example  of 
the  Eur  pean  and  American,  and  desired  like  them 
to  better  his  position  by  going  abroad,  he  was 
first  used  for  needful  work  where  there  was  not 
a  sufficiency  of  their  ov  i  people,  as  in  the  construc- 

63 


The  Chinese  Emigrant 

and  the  nn-,"!i^c*''  '^^'^^^  """  ^"°''  Canada 
fhe  i  '  '""^  """"  ''°""'*^''  °"'  °f 

rn,!^?"-  '"'T  °^^'*"'°"  '°  "'^  Chinaman  in  some 
countnes  .s  that  he  does  not  settle  and  become  one 

fiLn'  r^l '""'  1"'  '""'*'  '''^  '^™'"S'  home,  and 
finally  follows  them  himself.  In  short,  he  does 
just   what   the  complainant's   own   countrymen   do 

rh»n.  ^'u  r  '^  ^-"~P"="  °'  American  mer- 
chant looks  forward  to  going  home,  sends  his 
accumulated  savings  back  to  Europe  ;,  Americ^ 
^d  after  he  has  made  his  pile  returns  to  his  native 

fi.M'  Tu  '"''^''  '"  ''  ^"^  ''°"=«  «"d  lands  and 
fields  and  hope  to  enjoy  the  remainder  of  their 
days  m  their  native  lands  on  the  fruit  of  their 
toil,  the  only  difference  between  the  two  boing 
that  many  a  Westerner,  before  his  hopes  are 
achieved,  takes  six  feet  by  three  by  eight  of  China's 
soil  to  rest  in.  while  nearly  every  Chinese  is  trans- 
ported dead  or  alive  to  his  native  soil 

them.  This  blackguarding  of  Chinese  with  foul 
vices  IS  to  be  deprecated,  for  it  intensifies  ill-feel- 
ing ;  and  If  the  candid  opinion  of  a  Chinese,  who 
had  a  better  knowledge  of  the  English  than  the 
detractors  of  the  Chinese  have  of  them,  were  asked 
he  would  honestly  say  that  the  Chinese  morality 
was  of  a  higher  standard  than  the  Engl  sh  We 
cannot  agree  with  this,  but  we  do  say  that  he  has 
strong  grounds  for  his  opinion,  and  this  without 
m  any  way  wishing  to  decry  our  own  countrymen 
63 


,  ei 


i 
! 
t 

J 

\ 

i 

1 

f     ^ 

^ 

A 

u^M 

John  Chinaman  Abr  \d 

Whatever   may    be    said    about    the    ,vholcsale 
WTimigration     of     the     Celestial     into    lands     like 
England,   where   there    is   not  even   rcom  for  all 
those  born  in  it  to  make  an  honest,  decent  living 
and  br.ng  up  a  family  in  comfort,  h  is  the  rankest 
folly  to  apply  a  hard-and-fast  rule  to  all  lands 
he    Chinese    have,    to    a    great    extent,   made 
Malaya   and  all   the  adjoining  portions   of  Asia 
In   such   l.nds   where   those   boin   in  a  temperate 
cl.  ^.e  are  unable  to  toil  in  the  open  under  a  blazing 
sun,  the  Chmcse  supply  the  raiy  material  of  labour 
and  without  them  these  countries  would  languish' 
There  are  two  notable  instances  of  lands  which 
call  for  the  Chmese  and  to  which  access  is  denied 
them.     There  are  the   Philippines,  where,  by  the 
restriclive     policy     mistakenly     pursued     by     the 
Americans,  this  useful  ingredient  in  the  population 
IS  dumnishmfe;  and  there  is  the  Norther-  Territory 
m   Australia.      Both   these    lands   are  cling  for 
them,  and  the   Chinese  are  the  very  people  who 
will  supply  the  labour  and  develop  the  resouires 
that  now  he  latent  and  waiting  for  the  genius  of 
the    patient,    toiling    native    of    the    Far    East 
Development   lies   to  a  great  extent  dormant  till 
he  IS  permitted  to  enter  these  lands. 

Those  who  raise  objections  to  the  Chinese 
gomg  abroad  without  their  wives  are  singularly 
ignorant  or  forgetful  of  the  conditions  under  which 
their  own  countrymen  go  abroad  to  India,  China 
and  Japan,  as  well  as  the  other  countries'  on  the' 
other  side  of  the  globe.  Our  sailors  go  for  years 
64 


I 


East  and  West  Comparea 

in    South    Africa       Our     '^'  '       ^  ""'P°""'l' 
garrison  our  Eastern  Cnl  I    '""    '""'    '" 

without   their  ws    exceoT!;  '     /"'^  •"■•  '^■''" 
shut  up  in  barrlck;  often  fn"  T  "'"'  =*"" 

are  composed  "'  '"^"'""  ^^°  ^'^'Sr.te 

officers  are  dol,aSro™  the  !n^         "^  '""""^ 
life.     y»  II   cl,.rt,       "^°"!  ""^  enjoyments  of  home- 

Americf  \o   meeantiL'fi  °''-'"'"  ^"^"'"^  ^^ 
expect    that  rTd"d    onT  t"   't  ^"'  "^^"^ 

years.  ^^''   unmarried   for   a    term   of 

If  the  Chinese  are  immoral  becau^  ■  ti,»  ^ 
not  -ate  their  wives  with  them  when  goW  atoad" 
or  because  thoy  have  left  th,.|.  f  ,  ^  ™'*' 
While  they  .dd  t'o  their%;:ourtranXe  totif 
more  tolerable  the  future  with  their  'nh^ 
eammgs  abroad-i;  all  these  thinl.  ^n^^'nced 
ju  tnest  things  prove  them 
°S 


'til 


' 

F^ 

I, 

John  Chinaman  Abroad 

immoral,  what  about  the  Europeans  and  Americans 
who  leave  their  native  shores  under  the  same 
if  not  worse  conditions  as  prevail  with  the 
Chinese? 

There  are  not  a  few  estimable  Englishmen 
abroad  who  will  not  marry,  because  they  have  the 
opinion  that  the  Eastern  climate  is  not  one  to 
which  they  should  subject  one  of  their  own  country- 
women by  marrying  her,  and  taking  her  out  to 
form  a  home  for  them  in  their  loneliness.  If  the 
Chinaman  goes  abroad,  it  must  be  remembered 
that  the  whole  traditions  of  his  race  are  against 
his  taking  his  wife  to  a  foreign  land,  where  after 
all  he  is  going  only  to  spend  a  few  years  of  his 
life  ;  besides,  the  home  has  to  be  kept  up. 
Necessity  forces  him  to  go;  for  there  are  the 
young  children  to  look  after,  and  there  is  again 
his  old  mother,   who  cannot  be  left  alone. 

The  Chinaman  is  law-abiding  man;  but  he 
needs  to  be  rulea  win  a  strong  hand  and  a  just; 
his  national  characteristics  must  be  known  and 
allowed  for,  and  a  genuine  and  sympathetic  interest 
evinced  in  him  as  a  human  being.  He  is  not  a 
savage,  and  naturally  resents  treatment  as  such. 
The  class  of  man  like  the  overseer,  who  is  placed 
sometimes  in  authority  over  large  working  masses 
of  the  Chinese,  is  often  apt  to  be  very  overbear- 
ing in  his  manner,  and  to  kick  and  knock  about 
the  Chinese  who  are  under  him.  Unfortunately, 
some  higher  in  the  social  scale  forget  themselves 
in  this  wi;v  as  well. 

66 


Emigrant  Wives 

Chinaman  never  taWe,  his  womankind  abroad  with 
him.  When  he  goes  half  round  .he  world,  he 
n-mrally  often  leaves  her  behind,  though  I  " 
then  she  acc.apanies  him  at  times;  but  wh^  ,  i;  . 
distance  is  short  there  are  large  numbers  of  w.  „ 
who  enngrale,  for  instance,  to  places  such  as  Singa- 
por  The  author  in  his  official  capacity  has  seen 
hu..-'eds  and  thousands  of  them,  and  talked  with 

toJ^oir^'l'T^u"^''"  '"^"'  ^y  themselves 
to  their  husbands,  who  have  gone  first  and  made 
a  home  for  them,  their  mothers-in-law  sometimes 
going  with  ther  In  other  cases  the  husbands 
have  come  hor  to  talce  the  whole  family  back 
with  them,  and  then  the  wife  and  the  children 
and  perhaps  the  mother  of  the  man  a.^  in  the 
party,  or  the  man  has  come  .k  to  g.t  marrild! 
and  take  his  young  wife  with  '  :m  abroad.  Occa- 
sionally even  the  old  grandmothers  go  with  them, 
and  there  is  an  exodus  of  the  whole  family 
In  the  Straits  Settlements  some  of  the  Chinese 

wives.  Quite  a  community  is  growing  up  of  Babas 
as  they  are  called;  that  is,  native-bom  Chfnese 
whose  mothers  are  Malays.  In  some  cases  he  e 
children  thus  bom  abroad,  and  so  natives  of 
?h.r  rv^""°'  r^''  """"^  father-tongue  at  all. 

fl^  ffe  fn'Th"  °  ""!'  '°'  """^y  y^"^'  'f  not 
for  life,  m  those  parts  of  the  world,  become  often 

quite  polyglots  m  their  speech;   for  besides  speak- 

mg  the  language  prevc.iing  in  their  own  district 

67 


'  I    'I 


John  Chinaman  Abroad 

at  home  in  China,  their  business  relationships 
in  the  new  country  they  have  come  to  makes 
it  necessary  for  them  to  pick  up  the  languages  of 
other  parts  of  China,  as  represented  by  others 
of  the  emigrants.  A  knowledge  of  Malay  is  so 
easily  acquired  that  they  all  speak  Malay;  English 
is  also  learned  by  a  good  many. 

Many  of  these  Chinese  amass  large  fortunes, 
nor  are  all  the  benefits  they  have  acquired  in  their 
new  surroundings  forgotten,  as  the  wealthy  Chinese 
are  fond  of  using  their  money  for  public  purposes. 
The  author  some  twenty-five  years  ago  had 
occasion  to  employ  a  Chinese  gentleman  of  some 
literary  attainments  to  assist  him  in  his  labours. 
Probably  this  man's  income  from  all  sources  was 
not  more  than  about  £2  or  £3  a  month.  A  couple 
of  years  ago  this  gentleman  called  to  r»e  the  author. 
He  had  been  for  some  years  in  j  Federated 
Malay  States,  and  the  family  were  now  well  off. 
He  was  only  on  a  visit  to  China,  for  he  was 
returning  to  the  States.  His  sons  and  he  had,  for 
one  thing,  taken  up  tin-mining.  He  had  some 
Iiouse  property.  With  the  Chinese  aptitude  to 
seize  on  what  would  produce  money,  he  had 
obtained  spavm  of  tench,  and  when  the  fish  were 
hatched  and  grown  fit  to  eat  had  sold  them  at  a 
good  price,  as  the  Chinese  are  very  fond  of  this 
fresh-water  fish,  and  had  not  previou-  .y  been  able 
tc  get  them.  On  the  return  of  his  wife  and  himself 
he  was  taking  with  him  a  gardener,  to  look  after 
his  garden  in  Kwala  Lumpur. 
68 


The  Chinaman  Abroad 

This  is  a  typical  case  of  how  the  Chinese  is 
able  to  get  on  in  the  world,  and  more  especially 

Z^Z  ^^^'  ''*'"'""  '»  '^^  "^''^^  °f  new 
surroundings,  when  he  takes  advantage  of  all  the 
openings  which  present  themselves  to  him  to  make 
an  honest  penny. 

The  Chinaman  not  only  goes  abroad  to  foreign 
lands;  he  also  goes  abroad  in  his  own  land,  for 
to  travel  mto  another  province,  or  often  even  into 
another  part  of  his  own  province,  is  in  reality 
a  gomg  abroad  to  the  Chinaman.  To  begin  with 
he  may  fi„d  the  language  different,  and  unless 
there  is  a  large  community  of  those  from  his  own 

ZuTTu'  '''  ■'  ''''"^  ^"""^^^  'hose  who, 
^ough  of  his  own  race,  are  distinct  from  him  ir^ 
many  a  custom,  and  foreign  to  him  in  many  ways. 

1  tim^'ht^^efs  -nr '" '"  °^  '^"'^'  ^"'^  --y 

Cht'  ^"  '"?*  "^  u  ^  P°"''  "P  ^""^  '^°*n  the  coast  of 
China,  and  up  the  mighty  rivers,  colonies  of  Can- 

irir  'h  ""  '°""''  *'  shopkeepers,  merchants, 
and  compradores  to  foreign  firms.  These,  when 
old  age  arrives  or  infirmities  set  in,  return  to  their 
own  country-sides;  or  their  coffins  carry  their 
remams,  should  death  ensue  before  the  looked-for 
return  .s  undertaken.  In  Hong  Kong  are  found 
.^\^.  u^^'°^  merchants,  and  even  Ningpo 
and  Shanghai  men,  as  well  as  others  from  more 
distant  parts  of  the  vast  Empire 

iJ^'Tll-^''^  '^°"''""'  "*"y  ^'""^^  who  never 
leave  their  native  village  or  its  immediate  neigh- 


tn 


John  Chinaman  Abroad 

bourhood;  but  there  are  numbers  who  have  been 
far  afield  either  within  or  without  the  confines  of 
the  Celestial  Empire  in  search  of  the  almighty 
dollar.  It  seems  a  strange  thing,  but  it  has  been 
hitherto  the  general  rule,  that  however  the  foreign 
civilisation  has  affected  him  when  abroad,  when 
he  returns  the  Chinaman  is  a  Chinaman  again. 
In  most  cases  the  influence  of  travel  seems  imper- 
ceptible, though  it  must  have  had  a  larger 
leavening  influence  than  the  foreigner,  who  finds 
it  hard  to  see  below  the  surface  when  a  Chinaman 
is  concerned,  will  allow.  He  returns  to  his  native 
village,  and  to  all  outward  appearance  he  is  the 
same  man  as  he  was  before,  though  indications 
are  sometimes  to  be  seen  that  his  sojourn  abroad 
has  had  some  influence  on  him,  and  this  is  getting 
to  be  more  and  more  the  case. 

The  Chinaman's  adaptability  to  all  climates  and 
conditions  is  marvellous.  He  has  all  conditions  in 
his  own  land.  In  the  extreme  north  of  China  the 
winters  are  arctic  in  their  intensity,  the  rivers  being 
frozen  over.  Throughout  China  the  heat  in 
summer  is  tropical,  the  duration  being  shorter  in 
the  north,  though  the  heat  is  as  great  if  not  greater 
as  one  goes  up  the  coast.  Thus  when  he  goes 
abroad  it  is  seldom  that  John  Chinaman  comes 
across  conditions  that  are  not  to  be  found  in  his 
own  land,  though  at  the  same  time  the  individual 
Chinaman  may  not  have  experienced  them  in 
his  own  person.  His  general  frugality  and 
abstemiousness  have  probably  something  to  do  with 
70 


f 


Chinese  Emigrants 


AHH.H  ?^  ?  '•  '"  """^"'^  ''^^'  °fhers  cannot, 
enthf  V  "  ''*'  «^^"^"'  g°od-nature,  which 
enables  h.m  to  bear  up  under  adverse  circum- 
stances, when  others  of  a  less  happy  disposition 
would  give  way  to  their  troubles. 

John  Chinaman  starts  on  his  travels  abroad  at 
the  rate  of  considerably  over  two  hundred  thousand 
a  yea-,  and  about  half  of  these  go  to  the  Straits 

wor  d  which  has  not  at  least  one  or  two  Chinese 

whi.h  J  ^'V"'^  *'*^  '=°"'"'«^  i"  England 
lu^Ar  ^rv  °'  ^  ^^^''^'  '"  «''^'"-  There  are  two 
hundred  Chmese  students  in  London  alone.   There 

2rL^-^'lT  ''"'^"'"  '^'^^  '^'^  f°"^  millions 
abroad  m  different  parts  of  the  world,  amount- 

m?    m    number    to    the    population    of   a    small 

European  state.     There  are  numbers  of  these  who 

have  not   only   left   their  country   voluntarily  for 

their  own  good  as  well  as  that  of  their  country 

but  also  to  the  good  of  the  countries  to  which 

they   have   gone;    for   they   benefit   the  countries 

to    which    they    migrate,   as    they    do    their   own 

country  when  they  return.     Amongst  them  there 

nu>   be  a  few  who  are  not  desirable  immigrants. 

It  IS  a  pity,  however,  that  the  evil  conduct  of  some 

scapegraces,  or  in  some  cases  even  criminals,  who 

have  managed  to  emigrate,  should  cause  the  whole 

race  to  be  unjustly  judged. 


71 


}     :ii 


CHAPTER   VII 

John  Chinaman's  Little  Ones 

/^HINA  is  the  land  of  children.    No  Malthusian 
^-^     law  deters  the  multiplication  of  the  human 
race  there.     AH   boys  are  heartily  welcomed  on 
their  arrival  into  this  world,  and  none  are  at  once 
as.-.sted  out  of  it  again,  unless  there  be  some  con- 
genital defect  which  makes  their  presence  unde- 
sirable.    With  girls  it  is  a  different  matter  ;   they 
are  unacceptable,  and  not  to  be  mentioned  in  the 
enumeration  of  one's  children,  though  the  poetical 
name  of     a  thousand  pieces  of  gold  "  is  given  to 
them.     However,  a  metaphorical  shower  of  gold 
of  this  nature  is  not  desired.    If  means  are  ample 
they  are  endured,  though  not  wanted.    The  ravages 
of  famine,   the   devastations   of  floods,   straitened 
circumstances,   the  local   customs,  are  all  factors 
in  the  determination  whether  the  child    if  of  the 
wrong  sex,   shall  stay   in  this   world  or  only  be 
here  a  few  minutes  or  hours  or  days. 

It  is  absurd  to  argue  that  infanticide  is  no  mere 

prevalent    in    China    than    in    England;    or    to 

describe  it  as  a  curse  of  the  land,  which  devastates 

whole  districts.     Let  it   be  granted  at  once  that 

72 


4 


Infanticide  and  Slavery 

there  would  probabTvnn.r  '°"'''  ^'  *^  "^«' 
of  the  globe  where  '^nf.-f  """"^  ™  ">«  f-« 
though  f„  such  a  cfj/r"''"  ^"^  ^°  rare-even 
a  few  generadonsbV  '■?""•  '"  '""^  '^°"«<=  °f 
whole  r^e  wouTd'dS  oTt  u'^  !?  ^i"'.  ^"'^  "''= 
however,  that  cases  have  been  "  ''"""''t^  '-«• 
prevalent  was  infanticide  ,h,?.T  '"'"^'  ^° 
not   be  obtained  fn!'  '"'^^''^  Sii-'s  could 

Sabines:foT«h:rd"trs^\^  ''  -">  *"« 
In  some  count  y-MlstrH  \  '°  P''°"''^"  '''«">■ 
prevalent  ;  i„  Ut  it^  felt  e^t  "^  Y'''' 
-cumstances,  being  the  inevitrb L  ^es^'lt  ^H 
harvests,  a  famine,   or  flood  •    ,nH    .  ''^'^ 

such   places     tr.    ,  '    ^""^    "   «^«ses    in 

has  gone  '  s°  h  T^'  '"''"''  "'''="  '^e  cause 
marlcftf:;chl£n  EveTb''"  '''"''  '  '"'"^ 
ti-es,  though  it  irmostl  e  gTrL  who""  ''  ^"'^'' 
snatched  up,  in  somp  LI     f  ^'^  ^^S^'y 

and  a  reprobate      r1      ?,  opmm-smoker, 

to  say  Snst  a  o^rent  °'''"'°"  '"^^  "«  ««'« 

,'  •*6^>nst  a  parent  exercis  n?  his  rio^ht  „ 

a  Pulmg  babe.     Again,^^it  must  "be^Lmembe;:,^ 


John  Chinaman's  Little  Ones 


that  not  all  the  tiny  corpses  floating  seawards  on 
China's  mighty  rivers,  or  lying  on  the  roadside, 
or  indecently  cast  on  a  heap  of  rubbish  with  no 
covering  bui  a  rotten  piece  of  matting,  are  the 
victims  of  child-murder.  Ancestor  wor3;iip  is 
largely  responsible  for  this  unpleasant  phase  of 
Chinese  life.  This  cult  has  no  use  for  an  infant, 
and  denies  a  tablet  or  other  memorial  to  any  un- 
married unit  of  the  human  race,  except  in  the  case 
of  the  boat  population,  who  keep  up  their  own 
customs  as  distinct  from  those  of  the  land  people. 
iWith  this  exception  an  infarit  is  of  no  consequence 
and  requires  no  decent  interment,  and  that  in  a 
country  where  everything  connected  with  death  is 
deemed  of  the  utmost  importance  to  the  living 
as  well  as  to  the  dead. 

A  kindly  spirit  (excuse  the  seeming  irony  from 
an  English  standpoint)  prevents  in  a  very  few 
cases  the  necessity,  as  the  perpetrators  of  this  in- 
human crime  would  deem  it,  of  actually  killing 
with  their  own  hands  the  infant.  An  instance  of 
this  came  under  the  eyes  of  the  author  at  Chow 
Chow  Fu.  Its  mf  t  revolting  features  were 
revealed  in  a  hole  under  the  city  wall,  where  the 
infants  could  be  cast  ;  but  not  far  distant  hung 
a  basket,  protected  from  the  fierce  rays  of  the 
sun  by  a  piece  of  matting  to  form  a  sloping  roof 
over  it.  In  this  basket  any  one  bringing  the 
unwanted  child  could  place  it,  and  any  who 
wished  'o  thus  easily  obtain  an  addition  to  the 
family  could  rescue  it  from  its  impending  fate. 
74 


Parent  and  Child 

In  a  country  where  heads  fall  oflf  for  several 
crimes  which  are  not  visited  with  death   in  our 
land,  no  capital  punishment  is  the  award  for  the 
crime  of  infanticide.    Though  every  now  and  then 
the    mandarins     issue     proclamations     inveighing 
against  it,  and  urging  the  people  not  to  commit  it 
yet  they  do  not  set  the  machinery  of  the  law  in 
operation,  for  the  patria  potestas  is  all  powerful 
m  China.    „very  now  and  then  there  are  instances 
of   the    offended    dignity   of   a    disgraced    parent 
avenging    itself   on    the    undutiful    son   with    the 
extreme  penalty  for   disobedience.     The  father's 
life  IS  not  forfeit  in  such  a  case,  though  the  act 
may  at  times  be  considered  as  very  excessive,  for 
as  has  already  been  said,  the  father  holds  the  life 
of  the  child  in  his  hands. 

In  China  the  expectant  motiier  is  not  busy  for 
months  preparing  a  layette  for  the  dear  one  coming 
to  gladden  the  house  ;  for  the  little  things  are 
simply  wrapped  in  old  rags  and  clothes  belonging 
to  older  people,  and  for  a  month  baby  has  no  me 
Then  a  grand  banquet  is  held,  when  relation  i.ad 
friends  are  invited.  The  men  gather  at  a 
restaurant,  and  feast.  The  women  eat  and  drink 
by  themselves  in  the  house.  Congratulations  are 
offered  and  presents  given  to  the  child. 

The  milk  -name  is  now  bestowed  on  the  child  the 
first  name  he  or  she  receives.  This  clings  to 'him 
or  her  through  life,  being  used  by  parents,  relatives 
and  most  intimate  friends,  as  well  as  by  superiors' 
This  first  name  that  a  man  or  a  woman  possesses 
75 


■!  i 


I 


« 


John  Chinaman's  Little  Ones 

is  not  sufficient  for  a  Chinaman,  and  even  before 
the  child  is  grovm  up  the  boy  will  have  another, 
in  the  shape  of  a  school-name.  He  signalises  every 
great  event  ii.  life,  such  as  marriage  and  official 
apnointment,  by  a  new  name,  so  that  by  the  time 
he  ends  life  he  has  some  three  or  four  names  to  be 
known  by.  One  gets  acquainted  with  a  Chinese 
by  one  name,  and  then  later  on  learns  th  it  he  has 
another,  and  is  now  known  by  the  other  instead 
of  by  the  first,  which  with  difficulty  one  has  fixed 
in  one's  memory,  and  ,--.  new  effort  of  memory  is 
required  for  the  new  name'.  On  or  after  the 
bestowa'  A  the  name  the  child  is  properly  dressed 
in  a  short  little  jacket  and  nair  of  trousers  open 
back  and  front.  The  jacket  is  often  gay  with 
colours.  No  long  white  robes  and  delicate  lace 
are  s  n.  Very  little  children  often  wear  a 
garment  which  reminds  one  of  Joseph's  coat 
of  many  colours,  being  of  the  pattern  of  a  patch- 
work quilt. 

Paradoxical  as  it  may  seem  after  what  has  been 
said,  it  is  nevertheless  the  truth  that  the  Chinese 
have  a  large  share  of  natural  affection  for  their 
children.  The  pride  that  the  fathers  and  the 
grandfathers  take  in  the  toddling  wee  things  is 
one  of  the  pleasantest  sides  of  Chinese  human 
nature,  of  which  there  are  many  very  pleasant 
aspects.  The  surest  way  to  gain  golden  opinions 
from  the  street  crowds  in  China  is  for  the  foreigner 
to  take  notice  of  the  little  darlings  with  their 
winning  ways. 

f  76 


i 


I  4MM.y    GROUP. 


A    FAMILY  JAUNT. 


i 


f 

1 

i 

■  ■•  - "  "^.^^y^'!^ 


The  Childiren's  Ways 

The  li  «  ones  almost  .js  soon  as  they  can  speak 
are  taught  to  address  the  stranger  by  his  proper 
■tie  and  with  the  rcpect  proper  to  hi.  station 
ma  bold,  clear  voice.  The  quaint  mixture  of 
oldish  ways  and  the  frank  childishness  of  the 
toddling  youngsters  is  very  charming.  Little  old- 
world  dolls,  little  grown-up  men  and  women,  but 
yet  with  the  chubby,  round,  innocent  faces  of  child- 
hood, th-y  look  up  at  you  with  wonder  on  their 
features,  tinged  perhaps  with  a  little  fear,  and 
moct  gravely  inquire,  "  Sir,  have  you  eaten  your 
rice  yet?  •  Or  with  a  clear  piping  voice  they 
wish  you      Good  morning." 

Quaint  little  mites  of  humanity  I  Droll  speci- 
niens  of  the  human  race  I  Millions  and  millions 
of  small  editions  of  John  Chinaman  the  Elder  have 
been  schooled  into  Oriental  ways  and  Far  Eastern 
inanners,  till  the  little  ones  seem  but  replicas  of 
the  grown-ups  ;  but  with  that  soupfon  of  the  child- 
world  still  clinging  about  them,  with  its  delicate 
suggestiveness  of  other-worldliness. 

Babydom  is  very  much  the  same  in  the  Far 
East  as  in  the  Far  West.  Nursery  rhymes  are 
abundant-one  collection  of  six  hundred  h  s  been 
made.  Baby's  mind  and  baby's  ears  are  very 
much  the  same,  whether  his  father  and  mother 
have  given  him  a  white  skin  or  a  yellow,  and 
baby  s  father  and  mother,  nurse  and  sisters,  as  well 
as  aunties  and  grannies,  know  what  to  sing  to 
please  him,  soothe  him,  and  quiet  his  peevishness 
whether  they  liv^  e  side  of  the  globe  or  the 

77 


;; ! 


ill 


I       ; 


( 


John  Chinaman'B  Little  Ones 

other.  Il  it  strange  if  the  little  morieU  should 
sometimes  say  in  the  language  which  father  and 
mother  under«»-nd  so  well,  "My  little  body  is 
a-weary  of  ti...  great  world  "?  and  need  those 
delii^ntful  little  songs  to  make  them  forget  all  their 
little  troubles?  Wondrous  like  some  of  them  are 
to  cur  English  nursery  songs,  while  many  of  them 
have  the  colouring  ot  the  East,  and  reflect  the 
manners  and  customs  of  the  Orient.  It  seems 
curious  to  us,  doubtless,  to  find  the  foltowing 
verdict  passed  on  the  Chinese  nursery  song,  but 
it  is  given  by  one  who  knew  what  he  wa-  "aying, 
and  it  is  this  :  "  There  is  no  language  in  the 
world,  we  venture  to  believe,  '"h'-h  contains 
children's    songs    expressive    of  :    keen   and 

tender  affection." 

It  is  astonishing  what  an  amount  .f  enjoyment 
Chinese  children  can  get  out  of  life,  though  the 
Chinese  for  ages  past  have  done  their  best  to  fit 
Id  heads  on  young  shoulders.  Their  school-books 
have  taught  ther.  that  there  is  no  profit  in  play  ; 
centuries  of  repi.jsion  have  made  them  quiet 
children.  Under  the  old  fystem,  they  were  shut 
up  from  sunrise  till  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  at 
school,  sitting  on  hard  wooden  benches,  each  sing- 
songing his  lesson  at  the  top  of  his  voice. 

The  old  books  were  fit  only  for  grown-ups  to 
pore  over  and  study.  The  "  Jour  Books  "  and 
the  "  Five  Clas'^ics  "  were  learned  by  heart,  if 
the  boy  stopped  long  ei^ough  in  school-life  ;  then 
he  learned  to  compose  essays  based  on  the  classics 
78 


Schools  and  Tojrt 

■nd  to  write  poems.  These,  until  the  last  few  years, 
formed  the  sum-total  of  Chinese  education,  and 
they  are  little  fitted  for  the  you  ul  brain.  But 
now  a  more  rational  system,  baseo  on  that  of  the 
iWest,  is  being  adopted  throughout  the  land.  There 
have  been  no  story-books,  no  allegories,  no  boys' 
books  of  adventure,  no  thrilling  tales  of  heroes 
or  heroines  to  enchant  boys  and  girls  in  their 
leisure  hours.  It  is  only  of  late  years  that,  thanks 
to  the  missionary,  "  Robinson  Crusoe  "  and  a  few 
other  books  suited  to  the  young  have  been  made 
available.  Now,  wiih  the  new  education,  books 
adapted  to  the  young  are  taking  the  place  of  the 
antiquated  lesson-books. 

There  are  toys,  to/  be  sure,  but  the  majority  are 
rude  and  uncouth,  compared  with  the  finished 
products  which  gladden  tbr  hearts  of  our  young- 
sters. There  are  no  ski.',.ing-ropes,  no  cricket, 
no  football,  no  rocking-horses,  no  hoops.  Shuttle- 
cocks there  are,  but  no  battledores,  and  they  are 
as  much  if  not  really  more  for  the  grown-up  men 
than  the  boys,  though  the  boys  kick  them,  to  get 
into  practice,  so  as  to  be  able  to  play  properly 
when  they  become  men.  There  are  small  wooden 
cannon  and  a  few  brass  ones  ;  rude  swords  made 
of  wood  or  pasteboard,  and  tridents  and  halberds 
made  of  pasteboard,  wood,  or  bamboo ;  kites, 
too— but  these  belong  as  much  to  the  repertoire  of 
men's  games — pasteboard  mandarins,  earthen  roast 
pigs  (money-boxes)  glorious  in  red  paint  and  gilt. 
These  pigs  are  made  in  all  sizes,  with  a  slit  in  the 
79 


i 

■  ■   ii 

P""?"" 

m 

i 

John  Chinaman's  Little  Ones 

back  for  the  copper  cash  to  be  dropped  in,  and  when 
the  pig  is  full  there  is  a  glorious  smash  to  get  the 
money  out.  There  are  some  clumsy  iron  marbles, 
which  the  Chinese  boy  shoots  by  pulling  one  finger 
back  with  another,  and  then  letting  it  go  like  a 
spring.  There  are  a  number  of  rather  pretty  and 
ingenious  things  made  of  tin  and  bright  metal, 
httle  rattles,  two  beads  attached  to  short  strings 
riy  against  the  tin  instrument  as  its  handle  is  twirled 
round  in  the  hand,  small  fly-cages,  little  spillikin 
weapons  consisting  of  tridents^,  &c.  Pretty  little 
whirligigs  are  made  of  red-coloured  fluted  paper. 
There  are  tops  which  come  into  play  at  certain 
seasons  of  the  year,  for  the  toys  in  China,  as  in 
our  Western  lands,  have  their  proper  seasons. 

There  are  a  few  toy-shops  in  the  big  cities, 
but  there  are  also  stalls  where  certain  primitive 
toys  are  spread  out  for  sale,  and  where  for  a 
cash  or  two  a  purchase  can  be  made  by  the 
toddling  little  youngster,  or  by  a  grown-up  person 
on  his  behalf.  But  the  season  when  all  these 
places  overflow  with  a  plethora  of  these  delights 
of  childhood  is  the  China  New  Year,  the  time  of 
all  times,  not  only  for  the  little  ones  in  China 
but  for  every  one  from  the  oldest  to  the  youngest  ; 
for  then  every  one  becomes  a  child  again,  and 
plays  and  enjoys  himself  to  the  utmost.  Besides 
the  shops  and  stalls,  there  are  the  hawkers  of 
toys,  who  go  about  the  streets  selling  them. 

Chief  almost  of  all  is  the  ping-pom  man,  with 
his  pretty  white  and  red  ^lass  ping -poms,  ranging 
80 


ri 


Toys  and  Toy-makers 

conlf"f   ""''  °"''   '°  «'^'   "ig  ones.      They 

z':\t:,z  T  n '''''  ^'''"^  -'-^-^  - 

fnr  nl,  P'  ^^  ^'^P^  somewhat  of  the  cud 

but  t""^  °"'  ."^"'^^  ^^-"^  °f  cup  and  ball 
Xs      The  "T?  'u   ''°'"'  ^'"^  ^  'Wn  fito  of 
and  by  lll^l,°J  .'•'«  '""e  is  put  in  the  mouth, 
a  oy  gentle  blowmg  out  and  breathing  in  the 

images'^H'e'h""'""-  T"""^  '^  '""^  maker  of  paste 

£anr^nir:t:i-rt!:r^riti: 

hSs  •     'd  1      >  a<^«=sories  to  put  into  their 
sword 'in^n  I  "  ^  ^""°''   ^'fh  =Pear  or 

nis  Skill  produces  a  domestic  ;    and  thus  hp  ^n^. 

while  an  admiring  crowd  gathers  round  him  Td 
sees^  him  „eate  his  little  manikms  as  ^:i^^ 

But  notwithstanding  all  this,  what  child  is  there 
ohnCh"'   "'''=    '"''   '"'   '"--'f'      Anrmte 

itisXTr  aI?:s  itvr "  "^  ^"" 

nf  th^  u  sticks  and  stones,  a  corner 

ot  the  house  or  a  bit  of  a  crar^o^       j    ^       ^^urner 

paradise,  where  he  mak1s\Se^d    v^sTp^^f^^ 
full  of  the   richest  joys,   incomprehensible 

Ol 


(        A, 


'.U 


i 


John  Chinaman's  Little  Ones 

to  his  elders,  who  often  sweep  away  all  his  most 
real  pretendinq^s  with  most  imfeeling  hands  and 
unseeing  eyes.  Though  the  China  boy  does  not 
actually  need  toys,  any  more  than  any  other  child 
does,  they  help  him  on  wonderfully  in  the  world  in 
which  he  lives— a  world  which  the  stupid  grown- 
ups can  no  more  understand  than  his  childish  mind 
can  comprehend  theirs. 

With  girls— but  what  are  girls  in  China?  Even 
the  iiursery  rhyme  says  virtually,  Of  what  use  is 
a  girl? 

"We  keep  a  dog  to  watch  the  house, 
A  pig  is  useful  too; 
We  keep  a  cat  to  catch  a  mouse, 
But  what  can  we  do 
With  a  girl  like  you  ? " 

Of  course  some  of  the  toys  mentioned  above  are 
used  by  girls  ;  but  kites  and  shuttlecocks  and 
tops  are  not  girls'  toys  in  China,  and  really  |it 
comes  to  very  few  indeed  that  they  can  amuse 
themselves  with,  for  there  are  no  dolls.  Just  think 
of  it  !  No  dolls  to  dress  and  undress,  and  learn 
all  a  mother's  ways  an'd  tenderness  by. 

Then  besides  the  toys  there  are  also  sweet- 
meats on  stalls  or  carried  about  the  streets— so 
many  different  kinds,  wheat-sprout  toffee,  pepper- 
mint stick,  so  white  and  clean-looking  and  such 
a  contrast  to  the  dirty  fingers  of  the  boy  who  is 
selling  it.  Then  there  are  kam-ying-ko,  like  little 
brown  marbles,  and  as  you  suck  them  you  come 
across  little  bits  of  the  leaf  which  flavours  them 
82 


Infant  Gamblers 

in  your  mouth.    There  are  many  other  nice  things 
especially  at   New  Year,   when   there  is  candTed 

so'l^ll:'"'^^  °"'  """"  "'^"^'l  '°  every  visitor, 

There   is   also   the   pickle-hawker,   with   unripe 
mangoes,  carambolas,   sliced  cucumbers  dripping 
w.th  vmegar,  and  set  out  in  crocks  so  tempnnf 
and  delicious   to  the  Chinese  child.     But  alas! 
alas      these  tempting  titbits  are  often  made  the 
bait  to  lure  the  little  innocent  things  on  to  gamble 
and  the  toddling  little  babies  stake  their  carls 
to  whether  they  shall  gain  or  lose  by  the  throw  of 
the  dice  or  the  turn  of  the  wheel.     No  wonder 
the  Chinese  are  such  ardent  gamblers  ;    they  are 
brought  up  to  It  from  babyhood  with  the  memory 
of  sweet  morsels  or  acid  pickles 

rJ!  ''  T,  ^"  '"f""P''  "^  ^"<^  =^«"=.  though,  in 
Chma.  Ahnost  all  the  children  are  spoiled.  xLey 
will  be  petted  to  their  hearts'  conVent,  getting 
everything  th.y  cry  for.  until  some  ou^and-ou! 
naughtiness  rouses  the  ire  of  parent.     Then  all 

htle  ones  head.  If  he  escapes  without  a  slap 
or  a  good  beating  he  is  fortunate 

Unlucky  is  the  poor  little  slave-girl  under  such 

circumstances.     Tiny  little  things,  some  of  them 

are,  sold  mto  a  family,  to  be  the  drudge  of  the 

house,  run  errands,  look  after  the  children,  and 

83 


,  :\ 


I  -t 


John  Chinaman's  Little  Ones 

do  whatever  they  are  told.  Chinese  servants  are 
more  a  part  of  the  family  than  in  the  West,  and  so 
these  slave-girls  are  in  the  family,  and  to  a  certain 
extent  of  it ;  but  if  they  have  a  cruel  mistress, 
her  cruelty  will  at  times  find  its  full  vent  on 
these  helpless  creatures.  They  will  be  beaten  till 
they  are  covered  with  bruises.  Not  content  with 
that  the  brutes  in  human  shape  will  sometimes 
bum  the  slave's  skin  with  live  incense  sticks.  The 
abolition  of  this  domestic  slavery  is  one  of  the 
reforms  which  China  must  soon  take  up  if  she 
wishes  to  belong  to  the  comity  of  civil,,-;  d  nations. 
A  beginning  has  already  been  made  in  this 
direction. 

The  servitude  of  these  domestic  slave-girls  is 
not  for  life,  for  they,  as  a  rule,  are  married  off 
by  their  mistresses  when  they  attain  a  marriage- 
able age. 

The  infant  mortality,  apart  from  deaths  by 
mfanticide,  must  be  awful  in  China.  Instead  of 
at  first  giving  the  babe  Nature's  provision  for  its 
nourishment,  tiny  oblong  sweet  cakes  are  crammed 
into  the  httle  mouth  for  several  days.  As  the 
child  grows  older  manifold  are  the  dangers  that 
assail  It  from  injudicious  diet.  Then  it  has  the 
gauntlet  of  childhood's  diseases  to  run,  with  but 
httle  assistance  from  ignorant  mothers,  and  from 
still  more  ignorant  so-called  doctors,  or  old  wives 
who  perambulate  the  streets  pretending  to  cure 
mfantile  complaints. 

It  is  a  marvel  that  so  many  of  them  escaiie 
84 


Infantile  Disorders 


for  thi  l''T  ^""^^^  ^'  «^"y  '^"'ner  ready 
for  them.  For  the  last  hundred  years  the  little 
cmes   have   been   protected   from   the   ravage     of 

fra^;Cfo;ertrfTv^^^'°-'--^^' 

a  hn«,.       I        ?  '^"'''    devastating   many 

Babi^  in  Jr  f  °"  r  '"  ^°^"^  "^f"-  that' 
Babtes    n  Chma  have,  however,  the  monopoly  of 

tue  utih  y  of  re-vaccmation.     Consequently  nearlv 


nl 


85 


CHAPTER   Vm 

The  Past  of  John  Chinaman 

/^F  all  men  John  Chinaman  has  a  past.  Some 
V_y  people  are  ashamed  of  their  past,  but  John 
Chinaman  need  not  be  ;  for  his  is  a  glorious 
past.  He  has  taken  full  advantage  of  it,  and 
lived  in  it  for  many  centuries,  even  for  millenniums 
long  gone  by.  In  truth,  so  long  back  has  his 
vision  extended  that  until  just  recently  he  was  very 
short-sighted  to  many  aspects  of  the  present, 
so  accustomed  had  he  become  to  only  gazing  with 
ecstatic  rapture  on  the  golden  ages  of  the  sages, 
instead  of  looking  to  the  future  or  rejoicing  in 
the  present.  His  outlook  is  now  extending,  and 
embraces  a  glorious  future,  though,  unaccus- 
tomed as  he  has  made  himself  to  look  forward, 
his  vision  is  apt  to  be  distorted.  He  sees  men  as 
trees  walking  ;  his  perspective  is  uncertain.  Eui 
as  the  mists  of  the  past  dissolve,  and  as  he  adjusts 
his  sight  to  the  new  standpoint,  the  objects  he 
has  in  view  will  fall  into  their  true  relationships 
with  their  environments. 
.We  may  open  the  page  of  history  at  what  corre- 
86 


Early  History 

•pond,  to  our  Western  era  of  2356  b  c      "n. 

are  volumes  and  natr^  k  t         l    *  '     ^"e 

very  blurred.'dT  wrl  ":  f ''=-''"'  ^^-^^  -« 
has  obscured  the  na^ativIT  '"-'"'net.  Age 
dominate,  and  ar^sTM  '^  T""^  ^"^  ""^^  ?«" 
of  fact  thaHhe  atter  k  "k  "■'*'  ^  ''"bstratum 
so  that  it  is  welKlh  """"^  ^'  '^^  f°™", 

threau  of  t  uth  thit  1    ""'^'"u'"*'  '°  ""^^^^^  ^e 

-ass.    even^l^X  X    '^r;  ""=  *^«"=«^ 
mentioned.  ^  "'''    date    already 

reliance  on  ail    mt  L/^  ""  T  "''"''  '">?«"' 
from  their  classicTin  .     '''"   ''^  ">"'   <l"°»^t'on 

Who  rely  imp«cU     on  TarerT  ""'  ^°  ^"''^ 
sentence  is  :   "  it  wn,? m  k     u      "  P"°*^d.     The 

rfe  Book  01  4Z'lif  .'""  '°  "^  '^''''°« 
to  it."  '  "'^  "'^  to  g,ve  entire  credit 

beg?ni;rc^rrce^;--?h-^"-^  '«>  ^"^ 

say,  the  nonh^^e^t  td'^;'"'"  *^  ^^"'^  ^^°-' 
scribes  or  historio^fpher:  °7  "'  °"'^  '"'' 
joumeyings,  told  thefr  iCe'ssio^s  d  k  ''''" 
new  land    written  ^      ""Pressions,  described  the 

.)yphico;c:Snn'rtadpoL"r'"^  ^"  "'"- 
or  stone  or  on   clTv  n    !"j°'^-^''"acters  on  rock 

the  world's  history  wou,d'h\"'"'  "   '''«-   ■" 

But,  alas  I    there  sZ,  n  1'''''"  ""''^^^^  °-^'  ' 

found,  at  pres:^,  ITlu  Ltlf  ''''"^''''  *°  "« 

87 


M! 


Jlitl 


The  Past  of  John  Chinaman 

The  Chinese  do  not,  like  the  Hindoos,  go  back 
to  an  era  called  "  The  Unspeakable  Inexpres- 
sible," which  requires  several  pages  full  of  cyphers 
following  a  unit  to  express  this  inexpressible,  or, 
to  be  more  precise,  4,456,448  cyphers  after  a 
figure  I.  The  Chinese  are  content  with  500,000 
years  for  their  mythological  period. 

There  is  one  thing  to  be  observed  in  the  account 
of  the  early  eras  which  Chinese  history  reaches 
out  to  embrace  in  its  grasp.  It  has  been  very 
well  put,  by  one  authority  on  the  Chinese,  as 
follows  :  "  There  is  no  hierarchy  of  gods  brought 
in  to  rule  and  inhabit  the  world  ;  "  they  made  "  no 
conclave  on  Mount  Olympus,  nor  judgment  of  the 
mortal  soul  by  Osiris  ;  no  transfer  of  human  love 
and  hate,  passions  and  hopes  to  the  powers  above  ; 
all  here  is  ascribed  to  disembodied  agencies  or 
principles,  and  their  works  are  represented  as 
moving  on  in  quiet  order."      / 

How  universal  the  belief  in  giants  in  olden 
times  appears  to  have  been  I  Those  in  China 
were  beneficent  beings,  though  manlike,  herculean 
in  strength  and  enormous  in  size.  The  great  giant 
Poon  Kwu  out-distanced  all  others,  as  he  grew 
six  feet  every  day.  As  he  lived  18,000  years,  his 
length  of  days  must  have  kept  pace  pretty  well 
with  bis  height.  Mankind  has  benefited  by  his 
labours  to  this  day,  as  he  hewed  out  the  earth 
from  chaos  with  chisel  and  mallet.  He  was  im- 
mortalised by  his  transformatio.  'to  the  different 
elements  :  his  breath  into  winds  and  clouds  ;  his 
88 


Ancient  Worthies 

voice  into  thunder;  his  perspiration  into  rain; 
While  the  mountains,  the  rivers,  the  fields,  the 
stars,  the  herbs  and  trees,  the  metals,  rocks,  and 
precious  stones  were  also  formed  from  different 
parts  of  h.s  body,  and  last  of  all  the  parasites  on 
h.m  became  human  beings.  A  trio  of  rulers 
succeeded  for  another  ,8,000  years,  when  a  batch 
of  inventions,  &c  took  place,  such  as  good  govern- 
ment, the  art  of  eating  and  drinking,  mfrriage, 
and  sleep.     But  we  cannot  follow  the  course  of 

l']!nH°'f  r"  '*''"'  ^'"""''  ^'''""y  "-^-Kh  =11  its 
wonderful  stories  and  narrations,  and  recount  the 

virt  ''"'  °"""«d  1"  the  reigns  of  Fu-hsi, 
Yao,  Shun,  and  Yu's  reigns,  at  which  time,  perhaps 
the  present  race  of  Chinese  came  into  China. 

The  names  of  Fu-hsi  and  Sh6n-nung  and 
^eltllV^  °"'  prominently  as  amongst  the 
greatest  benefactors  of  the  race,  the  last  being 
the  reputed  founder  of  this  great  Empire.  In 
Yus  tmie  the  great  deluge  in  China  took  place, 
the  precursor  of  many  a  subsequent  and  serious 
overflow  of  the  Yellow  River.  At  that  time  China 
enjoyed  her  golden  age,  and  heaven  even  sent 
showers  of  gold,  which  a  more  prosaic  age  will 
probably  suppose  to  be  meteoric  showers 

Yau,  Shun,  and  Yu  were  a  trio  of  sages  or 
worthies,  on  which  subsequent  China  has  exhausted 
her  pra.se,  and  eulogium  caps  eulogium  in  a  de- 
lineation of  their  perfect  characters  and  virtues  By 
reflecting  their  grandeur  and  nobility  of  character 
and  worth,  Confucius,  the  Sage  of'all  slge'  ■« 
89 


'f 


k 


II 


i 


I' 


The  Past  of  John  Chinaman 

ehe  Land  of  Sages,  is  exalted.  Against  the  back- 
ground of  evil-a  degenerate  age  compared  with 
China's  golden  age-he  and  Mencius  shine  with 
all  the  lustre  of  those  who,  single-hearted  and 
noble  of  aspiration,  work  all  their  lives  for  the 
good  of  their  country. 

Lao-tsz,  another  of  earth's  most  noble  men,  left 
his  impress  on  his  country  and  people,  tincturing 
their  life-stream,  as  Confucius  and  Mencius  have 
done   in   time   past   and,   though   in   a   lessening 
degree,   still   destined  to   do  for   time   to  come; 
their  influence  in  the  future  will  not  be  what  it 
has  been  hitherto-some  of  China's  young  students 
are  saying  that  they  have  po  use  for  Confucius  now. 
A  feudal  age   was  this  :    scores  of  contending 
states  warred  amongst  themselves.    War  was  their 
play  ;    but  they  played  fast  and  loose  with  much 
of  what  should  have  been  held  in  solemn  esteem  ; 
hence  the  strong  disapproval  of  Confucius  ;   hence 
the  stem   lectures  of  Mencius  ;    hence  the  terse 
aphorisms  of  Lao-tsz.     The  country  was  politically 
split  up  into  small  states  ;    little  kingdoms  with 
petty  tyrants  as  rulers.     Out  oi   the  turmoil  and 
confusion  one  suzerain,  or  powerful  state,  rose  to 
the  supreme  power,  and  China  consolidated  into 
a  whole,  the  smaller  kingdoms   being  absorbed, 
under  the  famous,  or  infamous,  Tsun  Shih  Hwang 
Ti.     He  was  the  builder  of  the  Great  Wall,  of 
palaces,  and  public  edifices,  and  the  constructor  of 
canals   and  roads  ;    alas  I    also,   the   destroyer  of 
the  books  and  literati.     With  overweening  confi- 
90 


Succeeding  Dynasties 

dencr,  having,  a,  he  thought,  destroyed  all  record. 
The  ;  '"/.'  "l"  'f"^  '""""  '"e  Fir5.  Emperor. 
Jf  th«r  H  ^""^  r'  P°*"'"»  °'"  'he  memory 
out  to  their  fellow,,  and  by  their  aid.  .ssioted  by 
Lr  '"'"'J'  '^''''"'  ''^'^  '^'■"'=  'he  iconoclastic 
tTS^ina^^'rhT"""  '•''"'"   ""«=    -'°-d 

,n:^i?'  "*"  i^'*"  *"''  ^°"S  '«•'  Sung  and  Yuen 
and  Mmg  and  Tsing  all  succeeded  each  other  !n 

S^\-  ^'?'=^"'"«  »nd  'vent,  colouring  tith 
.he.r  distmctive  features  the  land  and  the  people 
The   last  dynasty  has   yellow  for  its   royal   hue 

byThi,"""^   /""J"""'''"  ^'^  "^'^y  were  typiHed 
by  h,s  ;  and  such  a  statement  would  not  have  been 

Z^    ^^«\y«"^«ince  ;    but  now  let  us  rather 

aToiarfult  "^""  °^  ^"'^   "«'  ^'  P"-^- 

dP,^rj  ?  ^'■'".^  '^^'"P''   ••**   ''««>   shown   to 
descendants  on  the  Imperial  throne  by  those  who 

S?/  «°/''  "'''''"'  '''"  ""^  '"  *e  ancient 
Book  of  H,story  on^  of  which  runs  as  follows: 
Order  your  affairs  by  righteousness,  order  them 
by  propriety,  so  shall  you  transmit  a  great  exampte 
to  postenty."  Unfortunately  posterity  did  n« 
always  follow  the  example  laid  down  by  the  firs 
rulers  of  dynasties,  with  the  result  t  J  ere  long 

tion'nf  r'f'  ^'■°^''  """^  '^'P'  ^^^y  'he  corrup! 
tion  of  the  last.     Time  and  again  this  occurred 

91 


li'l 


The  Past  of  John  Chinaman 

Energy,  vigour  of  action,  uprightness  of  purpose 
signalised  the   rise   of  most   of  the   many   regal 
houses  m  China.    The  introduction  of  fresh  blood 
into  the  royal  palaces  was  a  harbinger  of  hope 
for  the  whole  Empire  ;    but  the  rojral  breed  soon 
deteriorated  4gain,  as  effeminacy  and  luxury,  con- 
cubines and  eunuchs  exerted  their  influence.     Is 
not  all  this,  as  a  skeleton,  recorded  in  the  thousand 
and  one  histories   in  China,  and  flesh  tints  and 
blood  hues  sparsely  added  d  la  Chinois?    But   to 
the  European  student  who  is  not  imbued  with  the 
enthusiasm  for  the  Orient  and  touched  with  the 
glamour  of  the  East,  it  is  pretty  much  a  dead 
past,  which  requires  the  vivifying  influence  of  an 
Occidental  imagination  to  breathe  the  breath  of 
life  into  the  inanimate  mass,  and  to  collect  the 
bones,  lymg  as  debris  in  a  valley  of  apparently 
dry  bones,  into  a  corporate  whole.     Many  pages 
however,  of  the  thousands  of  volumes  are  of  great 
uiterest,  and  were  ;i,e,     lot  set  up  in  an  almost 
dead  language  known  to  so  few,  they  would  not 
be  so  unknown  in  the  West. 

The  Chinese  prize  their  past,  and  while  the 
present  is  fast  transforming  itself  into  that  past, 
the  Imperial  historiographers  in  Peking  are  busy 
transcribing  its  momentous  events  for  the  future, 
an  unknown  and  indefinite  future,  in  which  at  the 
right  moment-when  the  reigning  dynasty  has  its 
record  closed,  and  not  till  then— the  books  will  be 
unsealed.  Until  then  they  are  sealed  books,  and 
not  even  the  Emperor  himself  may  know  what  is 


Ancient  Records 

Se'Tr^'hT  "'  ^'"  *"'°"  '""  "'"''■  »"«'  whether 
«n  L  f  r."  ""'«"''''  '°  him  and  his  pro- 
genitors for  the  last  three  hundred  years. 

mere  seems   something  awe-inspirinjr  in   thi« 

l^nt  record,  shut  out  from  the  Icnowledge  of  a  I 

ceaselessly  going  on,  and  no  one  able  to  add    o' 

t,  or  alter  «  except  those  specially  set  apart  for 

^e  purpose.    When  those  whose  story  is  recorded 

-when  these  and  all  connected  with  them  are  dead 
and  gone  the  books  will  be  brought  out  and 
judgment  delivered  to  future  generLionr/'  ,h  „ 
the  censures  and  eulogies  are  first  seen  by  the 
pubhc.  when  the  remotest  chance  of  suppress  on 
of.  or  mterference  with,  the  truth  has  gone 

Not  only  are  there  general  histories  of  China 
nmning  up  mto  hundreds  of  volumes,  but  spedai 
penods  are  selected  by  those  who  are  intere  t'e d  S 
them,  and  treated  of  exhaustively. 

is  tZ\f.  "?"  ,'"'"  '"'""ting  "tories  in  China 
Lr*  T""]  ""''''•  ■""*"  ''^  "'"'  History  of 
Irn^''  -^'"^f  "Z"^.  and  many  of  the  Chinese  have 
learned  more  of  history  from  it  than  from  the  rea' 
history  of  the  period  itself.  It  deals  with  the 
feudal  „mes,  and  the  intrigues  and  wars  and  the 

strr."'"^^  "'  """'  °'  ^^-'^  --  ~ed 

Long  before  our  Saxon  chroniclers  were  penning 

Je.    narratives,  and  before  C^sar  was  describing 

^Ivelv"""       °"''  ""'"'  '^'^'"^^^  "^'^'""-"^  were 
gravely     recountmg     their     country's     wonderfu! 

93 


11  pi 


!  M 


i: 


The  Past  of  John  Chinaman 

history,  and  the  tale  has  been  continued  down  to 
the  present  day.  The  strangers  within  the  gates 
of  this  Empire  from  our  Western  lands  who  have 
studied  the  Chinese  historical  works  most — and 
they  are  a  score  in  number  of  the  leading  sino- 
logues—speak highly  of  them.  With  all  their  im- 
perfections they  are  far  and  away  the  best  con- 
tinuous history  of  any  Asiatic  people. 

Amidst  some  of  the  most  famous  of  the  thousands 
of  histories  extant  in  China  may  be  mentioned 
The  Book  of  History  (one  of  the  "  Five  Classics  "), 
The  Bamboo  Annals,  and  the  great  historical  works 
known  as  The  Seventeen  Histories,  in  two  hundred 
volumes,  The  Twenty-two  Histories,  The  General 
Mirror  of  History,  History  Made  Easy,  and  The 
Historical  Memoirs. 

As  one  writer  has  well  said  :  "  The  Emperor 
and  his  ministers  fill  the  whole  field  of  historic 
vision  ;  little  is  recorded  of  the  condition,  habits, 
arts,  or  occupations  of  the  people,  who  are  merely 
considered  as  attendants  of  the  monarch,  which 
is,  in  truti.,  a  feature  of  the  ancient  records  of 
nearly  all  countries  and  peoples."  '  Events  which 
must  have  been  of  thrilling  interest,  if  noticed  at 
all,  are  dismissed  with  a  word  or  two.  No  wonder 
the  Chinese  histories,  so  meagre  in  detail  at  first, 
develop  into  many  volumes  eventually,  as  the 
dynasties  are  twenty-five  in  number,  only  reckoning 
from  B.C.  2205  with  a  duration  of  164  or  165 
years  on  an  average  to  each  dynasty  for  the  4, 1 1 4 
'  Williams,  p.  154. 

94 


Picturing  the  Past 

years.  The  sovereigns  during  that  period  were 
225,  thus  giving  an  average  of  a  little  over  eighteen 
yarb  to  each  emperor.  The  present  dynasty  has 
lasted  tor  267  years,  with  ten  monarchs,  two  of 
whom  c  xupied  the  throne  for  sixty  years .  The 
^sco id  who  reigned  so  long  might  have  gone  on 
still  longer  as  ruler  of  this  mighty  nation,  but  con- 
sidered it  an  act  of  filial  piety  to  abdicate,  so  as 
not  to  exceed  the  time  his  grandfather  reigned. 

How  difficult  it  is  to  throw  oneself  back  into 
bygone  times,  and  try  in  thought  to  live  the  life 
which  lies  buried  in  the  past,  a  phase  or  two  of 
wliich  has  been  caught  and  preserved  in  the  books  I 
Doubly  difficult  is  it  for  the  Occidental  to  picture 
the  past  of  the  East,  though  a  life  lived  in  that 
quarter  of  the  world  helps  him  to  a  better  realisa- 
tion of  it  ;  for  the  conditions  in  the  Far  East  have 
not  changed  so  vastly  between  the  past  and  the 
present  as  they  have  in  the  Far  West. 

A  residence  in  the  Far  East  also  assists  the 
Westerner  to  appreciate  better  what  life  must  have 
been  in  his  ovm  land  in  the  mediasval  ages,  as  the 
current  of  events  flows  in  pretty  much  the  same 
chaimels,  or  has  done  up  to  the  present,  at  one 
extremity  of  the  world  as  it  did  in  the  other 
extremity,  some  five  hundred  years  ago.  The 
conditions  of  life,  the  difficulties  of  travel,  and 
many  other  aspects  of  existence,  are  all  reminiscent 
of  the  accounts  the  Englishman  has  read  of  how 
his  own  countrymen,  in  common  with  the  rest  of 
Europe,  lived  in  the  time  of  Chaucer,  and  later. 
95 


w- 


The  Past  of  John  Chinaman 

Much  has  disappeared  for  ever  from  the  records  of 
the  past  both  in  the  East  and  West,  and  left  many 
gaps,   though  with  the  fewer  changes   that   have 
taken  place  in  China  the  past  in  better  compre- 
hended than  it  is  with  us  ;    for  the  present,  to  an 
enormous  extent,  has  been  simply  a  continuation 
of  what  has  gone  on  before.     In  the  main,  things 
have   been   the  same  for  centuries  as   they  were 
ages  ago.    The  thoughts  of  the  ancients  crystallised 
into  the  classics,  which  hundreds  of  years  ago  had 
the  fixed  light  of  the  Commentaries  of  Chu-Hsi 
turned  on  them,  the  sentiments  of  these  old-world 
sages  still  prevailing  ;    the  customs  and  manners 
have  been  based  on  the  ancient  Book  of  Rites; 
the  same  primitive  plough,  rake,  and  mattock  of 
prehistoric  times  are  in  the  hands  of  the  farmer. 
The    Chinese    still    lives    in    the    cities    that    his 
forefathers    built    centuries    ago  ;     the    same    old 
crenelated   walls   circle  them  ;    the  same   narrow 
streets   strike   through   them   from   gate   to   gate, 
or  wriggle  with  sharp  angles  round  the  comers. 
The  same  temples,  many  of  them  built  centuries 
ago,  are  scattered  here  and  there,  hidden  among 
the  low-lying  houses,  tied  up,  as  it  were,  in  the 
little   intricate   knots   of  evil-smelling  alley-ways, 
set  down  where  it  needs  an  expert  to  find  them. 
The   same   old   gods   looking   down   from   behind 
the    flimsy   curtains,    and   through    the   clouds   of 
incense   on   the  worshippers,   as   generation   after 
generation  have  come  before  them  v»ith  their  woes 
and  joys— in  grief  with  lamentations,  and  in  joy 
96 


Unchanged  and  Changing 

with  exultation  of  heart  and  with  thanksgivings. 
The  ancient  style  of  the  houses  is  still  adhered 
to-the  changes  being  but  slight,  glass  gradually 
taking  the  place  of  the  oyster-shell  or  the  oiled 
paper. 

And  all  these  things  must  enable  the  Chinese 
to  picture  their  past  far  more  easily  than  we 
can  ours,  where  nearly  everything  is  changed  so 
completely,  not  only  as  regards  the  furnishing  for 
and  providing  of,  our  daily  wants,  but  also  as 
concerns  our  mental  apparelling  and  pabulum 

But  this  is  evidently  all  to  be  changed  in  the 
future.  The  tendency  b  towards  change,  for  even 
now  a  beginning  is  being  made  in  the  demolishing 
of  the  relics  of  the  past.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that 
this  will  not  be  allowed  to  be  carried  to  too  great 
an  extent  ;  for  a  day  will  come  when,  as  in  the 
West,  It  will  be  difficult  without  special  study  to 
picture  the  past,  to  give  it  a  living  reality,  to 
bnng  it  vividly  befo;  e  the  mind,  and  see  it  as  it 
was. 

Proposals  have  been  made  with  regard  to  some 
cities  to  throw  down  their  walls  and  turn  them 
mto  boulevards,  as  in  Paris  ;  in  Nanking  a  good 
carriage  road  has  been  made  ;  an  embankment 
IS  being  constructed  on  the  river-front  in  Canton 
and  other  improvements  of  a  like  nature  are  taking 
place  ;  so  that  when  the  present  in  China  changes 
to  the  past,  it  will  in  the  future  be  a  different 
past  from  what  the  present  past  has  been. 
John  Chinaman  was  very  self-contained  in  his 
97 


The  Past  of  John  Chinaman 

past.  He  jostled  against  his  neighbours,  to  be 
sure,  but  he  gave  more  than  he  took  in  the  process, 
and  held  himsel'  with  the  pride  which  such  a 
free  imparting  necessarily  produces.  From  small 
beginnings  the  Empire  grew,  spreading  out  ;  now 
restricted,  now  divided,  now  united,  and  surging 
forward  and  extending  still  further  the  realms, 
till  in  the  Tang  they  reached  the  Caspian.  China 
has  had  her  invasions,  as  well  as  invaded  other 
counMes.  All  the  neighbouring  nations  have  felt 
the  force  of  her  arms,  and  her  prowess  has  broken 
many  an  insurrection.  Her  own  people  have  ruled 
her  through  most  of  her  history,  but  Tartar, 
Mongol,  and  Manchu  have  all  had  their  turn,  and 
the  latter  is  still  the  ruling  power.  It  may  trily 
again  be  said  that  China's  past  is  not  one  to  be 
ashamed  of  ;  on  the  contrary  it  is  one  the  people 
may  well  be  proud  of. 


98 


CHAPTER   IX 

The  Mandarin 

'pHE    word   mandarin    (the    last    vowel    pro- 
1     nounced  as  ee)  is  derived  from  the  Portu- 

Z^J  .""t"'""''  *°  """"^"d<  ^"d  means  the 
members  of  the  body  of  officials  who  have  the 
power  and   right   to  govern   the   people. 

Mandarmdom  is  recruited  from  the  ranks  of  the 

people;    n  ,s   not  hereditary,   but   those  who   fiU 

Z  ^  ""!"■,"  '■^"'^'^  '"  *^'  ^'^^  eminence.     It 

of  th/  "°,'"'"^'-  '"'  *^  ='™P'y  'he  higher  ranks 

of  the  C.V.1,   military,   and  naval  services.     No! 

r^^ffi'lS  '^  ^  '"^"'^-'"'  ''-  -^  -''at 
There  is  nothing  in  our  Civil  Service  extemallv 
.0  distinguish  officials  ;   but  a  mandari^  TSl 
gorgeous   robes   of  silk  and  satin,   wears  a  red 
corded  hat,  and,  to  cap  all,  a  button,  as  it  has 

LT    nT'.rV'^^P^^   "'  "^'^  -n-al-shaped 
^l:  ni       k'  ^   '''""°"   ^y  =°""«y.   although 

Si    bau'thrr"  "'  '"'  '"'  ^  ^°""^  ''all,  like  the 
g>lt   ball   that  surmounts   some  military  helmets 

99 


<!!! 


The  Mandarin 

It  is  in  some  cases  elongated  into  a  spike-shaped 
termination  to  the  hat,  as,  again,  on  other  helmets, 
ihe  mandarm  wears  these  robes  and  hat  on  all 
occasions  when  in  the  public  performance  of  his 
official  duties.  He  is  not  compelled,  like  the 
private  soldier  with  us,  always  to  appear  in 
uniform,  for  he  may  appear  in  mufti  when  off 
duty. 

Of  these  so-called  buttons  there  are  nine 
different  kinds,  or  rather  there  are  nire  different 
grades  of  those  who  wear  them.  The  colour 
and  material  of  these  appendages  to  the  hat  show 
forth  the  rank  of  the  weai«r.  Three  of  the  lowest 
grades  of  rank  are  represented  by  buttons  iden- 
tical, or  nearly  so.  The  status  of  these  three 
classes  are  shown  by  ,the  round  knobs  on  their 
hats  being  of  gold-plain  gold  in  the  seventh  and 
worked  gold  in  the  two  lower  ranks.  The  highest 
ranks  have  a  ruby  and  coral  button  respectively 
then  come  a  sapphire  and  a  lapis  lazuli;  and  next 
a  crystal  and  white  stone. 

The  position  which  the  high  official  holds  as 
regards  the  nine  divisions  is  also  set  forth  in  the 
embroidered  robe.  A  square  of  embroidery  in  the 
front  and  back  of  the  bng  gaberdine,  or  robe  is 
m  the  case  of  the  civil  mandarins  worked  with 
birds  for  decoration.  These  birds  are  the  crane, 
golden  pheasant,  peacock,  wild  goose,  silver 
pheasant,  egret,  and  others,  each  serving  to  show 
as  in  the  case  of  the  buttons,  the  rank  which  the 
official  who  wears  them  has  attained. 

lOO 


fM![ 


THREE    DISTINGUISHED    MANDARINS. 


ROOM    IN    GOVERNOR'S   VAMEN. 


11 


Insignia  of  Mandarins 

ofTch  office"'  II^Z  ;?'"'  °'  ''^  P-'«°« 

cJasDs      T^  !    *^  ""^  ""*  '''"'•  °f  girdle- 

ta  dress    ir'"'"  ':.'"'=''  '"  •"*-  di^inction. 

Besides  the  buttons  and  other  insignia  of  rank 
Imperial  presents  priW.e^ SteSe^^^ 
every  high  VL'^s^t^He     "^^  ^^  o^The' 

thTtroJtrr.  ir--  -^-'>  ^-ffi^jdt 

the  neck.  '^"^'  ''"''  """^  ^'°P«^  ^"'^  over 

ofit  rkSt'isXa":  nt  '^  "^V"^*^'^ 
in  our  Western  ^.^"1^ £  "Z^^i,:^ 

Uken  un  h  T'""'  °'  ''  '^'  «™blem  of.  it"s 
aken  up  by  those  whose  business  it  is  to  use 
t.  when  It  IS  considered  to  be  necessarv  to  / 

H 


The  Mandarin 


countries  at  one  time,  part  of  a  grutleman's  dress. 
In  fact,  it  was  rather  derogatory  to  the  gentleman 
to  have  anything  to  do  with  such  a  war-like 
weapon.  What  place  the  renaissance  of  China 
may  give  to  the  sword  remains  to  be  seen,  but  it 
is  at  present  against  the  Chinese  spirit  to  glorify 
such  an  emblem  of  destruction.  The  military 
career  has  been  hitherto  despised  as  a  low  calling 
compared  with  civil  employment. 

A  high  official  is  supposed  to  be  a  man  of 
weight  in  China  ;  for  his  sedan-chair  is  borne 
by  eight  coolies,  while  a  decrease  in  rank  only 
entitles  to  four  bearers,  and  the  lowest  officials  are 
carried,  as  every  one  may  be,  by  two.  A  little 
procession  attends  the  goings -out  and  comings -in 
of  the  higher  mandarins.  "  The  usual  attendants  of 
the  district  magistrate  are  lictors  with  whips  and 
chains— significant  of  the  punishments  they  inflict  ; 
they  are  preceded  by  two  gong-bearers,  who  every 
few  moments  strike  a  certain  number  of  "  great 
blows  on  their  gongs,  "  to  intimate  their  master's 
rank,  and  by  two  avant-couriers,  who  howl  out 
an  order  for  all  to  make  room  for  the  •:  man. 

A  servant  bearing  aloft  a  loh,  or  state  ui.iorella," 
"  also  goes  before  him,  further  to  increase  his 
display  and  indicate  his  rar.k."  A  subordinate 
"  usually  runs  by  the  side  of  his  sedan,  and  his 
secretary  and  messengers,  seated  in  more  ordi- 
nary chairs,  or  following  on  foot,  make  up  the 
cortege.  Lanterns  are  used  at  night,  and  red 
tablets    in    the    daytime    to    indicate    his    rank." 

103 


Way  for  the  Oreat 


gun,  w  fired,  which  informs  the  whole  city  that 
officii''     T  "  "  «°'"«  »"'•    When  the  hUS 
pended.  and  the  populace   line  the  sides  of  the 
narrow  streets  even  before  the  procession  comes 
none  daring  to   walk  down   the^pen  space  "eft 

Lrl  'TV"''^  ''**  ^^^^'  «"d  awful  magnSe 
l^^passed,  when  the  busy  street  resumes  its  wonted 

theT^  f  "'"h'"^  ^''  '"""'"^  "'^  '""'J  booming  of 
ect  sl'^n^  ^^  ^^""^  ^""""""^^  ^'^  advent.  Per- 
crLs^f  H  "■"^!  '"P^*""*''  °"'y  broken  by  the 
cnes  of  his  attendants,  as  their  shouts  clear  the 
*ay/^°m  any  possible  misappreh.  on  oT  thS 
masters  greatness.  There  is^  nn  ^h. 
Wting  of  hats,  for  the  goodLLThatteTal'ori:: 
have  no  hats  to  lift  i„  summer,  and  at  all  S  n 
Ch.na   It   would,   according  to   their  etiquet^^ 

.he  hi:  £"  '''  '"'  ^°"  ^  superioVunleS 
tne  hat  be  a  common  felt  hat  or  a  workman's 
enormous  bamboo  one.    Even  if  the  dignitary  be  a 

Enl  °.S;'^^  ''^''  undemonstra^ve  s^W 

prevails,    though   a   petition   may   occasionally   be 

thrown  into  his  chair.     No  notice  is  taken  by  the 

■  Williams,  i.  pp.  503-4. 

103 


\i 


The  Mandarin 

"  great  man  "  himself  of  what  passes  before  hii 
eyes  :  he  sits  impassive  as  a  Buddha,  utterly  de- 
tached, it  would  appear,  from  all  his  surroundings, 
and  to  all  appearance  apathetic  and  untouched 
by  what  he  may  see,  seeing,  but  not  apprehending 
—dead,  one  would  think,  to  all  mundane  affairs. 
Such  is  considered  the  proper  attitude  for  a 
mandarin  to  assume. 

The  Cantonese  Viceroy,  Yeep,  who  was  taken 
prisoner  by  the  English  and  carried  to  India,  on 
nearing  Calcutta,  at  the  termination  of  his  voyage, 
felt  no  interest  to  all  outward  appearance  in  his 
surroundings,  and  evinced  no  desire  to  see  the  new 
land  to  which  he  had  come.  Nevertheless  he  was 
suddenly  surprised,  by  some  one  unexpectedly 
coming  into  his  cabin,,  in  the  act  of  gazing  out 
of  the  port-hole.  He  had  clambered  there  to  get 
a  view  of  the  strange  city  and  land  to  which  he 
was  coming.  Chinese  mandarins  are  men  after 
all,  but  they  are  not  expected  to  show  it  to  the 
public. 

A  curious  feature  in  a  mandarin's  procession 
is  the  great  screen-like  fan  on  a  pole  which  is 
carried  before  him  by  one  of  the  retinue.  If  the 
procession  of  another  mandarin  is  met,  and,  as 
one  of  our  poets  writes, 

"  Beneath  the  Imperial  fan  of  state 
The  Chinese  Mandarin  " 

is   seen,   then  if  superiority  of  position  does  not 

demand  recognition  and  the  necessary  delay,  the 

104 


An  Arduous  Life 


g-gamic  fans  i„  each  procession  are  interposed 
hastily  by  the,r  bearers  between  the  two  officials, 
and  the  fiction  of  not  having  seen  each  other  is 
acted  on. 

The  life  of  an  official  in  China,  if  he  occupies 
a  h.gh  position  and  rules  over  a  populous  district 
of  country,  is  arduous  in  the  extreme.     He  knows 
no  hours.     His  worlc  is  never  done.     He  is  up 
before  dawn,  and  official  receptions  take  place  in 
the  small  or  early  hours  of  the  morning.     The 
health  of  many  a  man  is  injured  by  the  incessant 
toil    and    unremitting    anxiety.      His    only    lone 
holiday  IS  when  his  father  or  mother  dies  ;    then 
he  has  to  resign  office  nominally  for  three  years- 
the  period  of  a  son's  mourning  for  his  parents- 
but  really  only  for  twenty-seven  months.     A  few 
feast-days  may  give  him  some  amount  of  respite 
and  a  month  at  New  Year  some  degree  of  rest' 
when   his   seal    is   given   over   to  the   custody   of 
his  wife,  where  it  would  be  difficult  for  any  rascal 
to  obtam  it  and  use  it  wrongfully.    His  only  chance 
of  retirement  is  on  account  of  ill-health,  and  it 
has  to  be  so  pronounced  as  to  render  him  unfit 
for  public  toil  ;  repeated  requests  for  permission  to 
retire  on  the  score  of  illness  are  often  refused. 

Not  only  is  the  mandarin  often  hard-worked 
harassed  with  many  cares,  and  loaded  with 
responsibilities,  but  also  his  tenure  of  office  is  in- 
secure. He  is  subject  to  blame  for  no  fault  of 
his  own,  such  as,  for  instance,  an  extensive  con- 
flagration in  the  city  which  is  the  seat  of  the 
105 


kIL^ 


The  Mandarin 

government  he  is  in  charge  oT,  or  a  famine  in 
the  country,  or  a  flood.  He  is  bound  to  report  all 
these.  Should  he  put  on  too  tight  a  pressure 
to  raise  money,  and  exceed  the  usual  amount  of 
taxation  to  which  people  under  him  have  been 
accustomed,  then  all  the  shops  in  the  aggrieved 
portion  of  the  city  may  be  closed  as  a  protest 
against  his  exactions,  and  he  must  hasten  to 
reduce  his  extortionate  demands,  lest  the  report 
of  it  should  reach  head -quarters.  He  has  enemies 
all  round  him  who,  if  he  has  offended  them  or 
passed  them  over,  or  if  he  stands  in  their  way, 
are  ready  to  magnify  his  peccadilloes,  and  report 
his  flagrant  crimes  or  dereliction  of  duty.  Wlien 
reporting  his  own  shortcomings,  he  asks  that 
punishment  may  be  mefed  out  to  him  for  his 
misrule  in  allowing  such  calamities  and  disasters, 
as  mentioned  above,  to  visit  the  people  under 
his  charge.  This  curious  custom  is  carried  so 
far  that  the  occupant  of  the  throne  himself 
publicly  confesses  to  his  people,  when  any 
disasters  occur,  that  they  are  the  result  of  his 
shortcomings. 

The  poor  mandarin  often  has  a  bad  time;  for 
there  is  a  body  of  censors,  officially  appointed, 
whose  duty  is  to  pounce  upon  him  and  bring  any 
misdeeds,  sometimes  fancied,  sometimes  real,  to 
the  notice  of  the  Son  of  Heaven  himself.  Nor, 
indeed,  has  it  been  unknown  that  some  brave  and 
noble  censor  who  has  had  the  weal  of  his  country 
at  heart,  has  even  dared  to  point  out  to  the  occupant 
io6 


The  Way  to  Office 

of  the  Dragon  Throne  his— the  Emperor's— mis- 
deeds. 

It  is  not  impossible  for  some  enemy,  high  in 
power,  to  ruin  the  mandarin,  by  procuring  frequent 
promotions  for  him.  Scarcely  is  he  settled  in  a 
position  at  one  extremity  of  the  Empire,  when  he 
may  have  to  travel  across  to  the  other  extreme  ; 
and  this  may  be  repeated  to  different  distant 
provinces.  The  poor  official's  funds  and  resources 
will  be  then  more  than  exhausted,  and  ruin  stare 
him  in  the  face.  Such  a  case  has  occurred  before 
now. 

Every  native-born  American  may  rise  to  be 
President  of  the  United  States,  so  every  Chinese 
youth,  unless  he  belongs  to  the  prohibited  classes 
(such  as  the  barber,  the  play-actor,  and  the  boat- 
man, all  to  the  third  generation),  may  rise  to  the 
highest  position  in  the  Empire,  short  of  the  throne 
itself.  The  road  is  through  education.  This  is 
the  incentive  offered  to  every  budding  schoolboy, 
the  motive  that  spurs  on  the  flagging  energy  of 
the  worn-out  student,  the  goal  which  the  graduate 
may  hope  to  attain  as  vacancies  occur. 

The  naval  and  military  mandarin  has  gained 
his  position,  till  quite  recently,  by  athletic  prowess, 
hence  his  inferior  standing.  Brains  have  been  at 
a  discount  in  these  branches  of  the  Go,  mment 
service.     This  is  now  being  changed. 

The  military   mandarin  has   the  power  of  life 
and  death  in  his  hands,  for  martial  law  prevails 
in  the  army.     It  is  thus  not  only  in  the  time  of 
107 


lii 


rii 


III} 


The  Mandarin 

war  that  the  Chinese  soldier  carries  his  life  in 
his  hands,  but  in  the  time  of  peace  as  well  ;  for  if 
he  be  guilty  of  any  crime,  off  goes  his  head  in 
a  twinkling. 

Bribery  and  corruption  reign  rampant  in  China, 
as  they  do  in  most  Asiatic  countries.     A  premium 
IS  put  on  the  system,  as  the  salaries  and  allow- 
ances given  even  to  the  highest  officials  are  not 
sufficient  to  meet  the  current  expenses  of  the  estab- 
lishments they  have  to  keep  up.    A  viceroy  ruling 
millions  of  people  will  have  a  salary,  the  equivalent 
of  that  paid  to  a  European  clerk  or  mercantile 
assistant  in  Hong  Kong  or  Shanghai.     He  gets  a 
few  allowances,  to  be  sure,  but  these  are  also  on 
a  small  scale.     True,  he  has  his  yamfn,  that  is, 
courts,  prisons,  offices,  barracks,  and  private  resi- 
dence,  all   in   one   large  congeries  of  buildings— 
a  muUum  in  parvo— but  all  these  need  to  be  kept  in 
repair  in  a  trying  climate  which,  with  the  aid  of 
white  ants,   seems   determined  to  ruin  a  building 
as  soon  as  possible.    He  has  to  maintain  his  body- 
guard   and    numerous    servants— a    plurality    of 
servants  is  a  necessity  in  the  East.     He  has  to 
support  his  family,  and  it  is  probably  a  large  one, 
with   not  a   few   wives   and   many  children.      He 
gets  no  pension,  and  so  has  to  make  enough  to 
permit  him  to  spend  his  old  age  in  comfort  and 
ease.      He  must   pay  the   travelling  expenses  for 
himself  and  family  and  suite,  as  well  as  servants, 
from  his  last  appointment,  or  from  Peking,  and 
it  may  be  a  journey  of  hundreds  or  thousands  of 
io8 


The  Omnipresent  Bribe 

miles  by  land  or  river  or  sea.  Also  money  must 
be  saved  up  for  presents  to  superiors,  or  even 
to  the  highest  and  most  august  personages  in  the 
Empire  on  the  expiry  of  his  present  term  of 
office. 

How  can  all  these  expenses  be  met  out  of  the 
paltry   pay   assigned   to   the   office,   even  supple- 
mented as  it  is  by  a  few  allowances  ?     The  neces- 
sary  consequence    is    that    all    officials,    with   the 
rarest   exceptions,   are   only   too   glad   to   receive 
presents  from  not  only  the  officials  under  them,  but 
from  litigants  and  from  whoever  may  have  any 
request  to  make,  or  who  is  in  any  way  brought 
mto  contact  with  the  "great  man."     An  honest 
mandarin,  perfectly  free  from  bribes  and  presents 
finds  himself  hamp    ed  on  all  sides  by  a  want  of 
the  money  required  for  his  needful  expenses,  and 
he  dies  not  only  poor,  but  deeply  in  debt,  leaving 
his  family  in  abject  poverty.      He,  however,  has 
the  esteem  of  the  whole  country;  encomiums  from 
high   and   low   are   showered    on   his   head,    and 
fragrant  is  his  memory. 

And  yet  the  people  foster  and  condone  the 
very  system  they  condemn  by  their  approval  pf 
an  honest  official.  It  seems  inbred  in  the  bones 
of  the  man  from  the  Far  East  to  give  presents 
and  offer  gifts.  The  present  opens  the  way  to 
a  request,  and  paves  the  road  for  the  asking  of 
a  favour.  The  Western  official  in  the  East  dreads 
the  advent  of  a  present  :  timeo  Danaos  et  dona 
ferentes.  The  only  way  to  stop  them  is  to  set 
109 


mm 

W 

1 

■ 

>V. 

1 

M 

I 

1 

Bt 

EiJjiJ 

^^H 

The  Mandarin 

one's  face  as  a  flint  against  them,  no  matter  how 
insignificant,  valueless,  or  worthless  they  may  be, 
when  connected  in  any  way  with  one's  official  duties 
or  life.  It  is  the  only  safe  course  to  pursue. 
Though  there  is  so  much  corruption  in  China,  there 
are  not  a  few  officials  in  China  who  have  the 
welfare  of  their  people  at  heart,  and  who  try  to 
rule  as  well  as  they  can. 

A  semi-official  newspaper  published  in  Peking 
informs  us  that  "  The  Chinese  Government  has 
decided  to  fix  the  emoluments  and  expenses  of  all 
officials,  metropolitan  and  otherwise,  and  to  forbid 
them  to  make  extra  money  clandestinely.  It  ha  4 
further  decided  to  allow  the  officials  of  places 
along  the  coast  double  the  pay  of  those  in  the 
interior.  It  is  hoped  that  this  reform  will  be 
put  into  force  at  no  distant  date."  This  is  good 
news,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  it  will  really 
soon  be  put  into  force  and  be  a  death -knell  to 
corruption,  or  at  least  the  beginning  of  the  end 
of  the  miserable  state  of  affairs  connected  with 
mandarindom  in  China. 

The  rank  of  mandarins  is  sometimes  thrown 
open  to  aspirants  to  the  honours  of  such  exalted 
positions  in  the  most  curious  ways,  according  to 
our  notions  of  the  fitness  of  things.  If  the  Govern- 
ment is  short  of  money,  wealthy  men  may  purchase 
rank,  and  be  entitled  to  wear  the  robes,  buttons, 
and  other  insignia  of  the  position.  This  is  in- 
veighed against  every  now  and  then  by  some 
officials  who  see  the  harm  of  it.    Again,  the  leader 


Purchased  Rank 

of  a  rebellion  is  often  bought  over  to  the 
Imperialist  side  by  the  promise  of  office  ;  and 
if  he  has  the  faith  to  believe  what  is  offered  to 
him  he  often  reaps  the  reward  of  that  faith,  but 
he  sometimes  pays  for  his  belief  with  his  life, 
as  it  is  not  considered  treachery  to  break  one's 
word  to  an  enemy  of  one's  country. 

The   maxim   that   all   is    fair   in    war   is   fully 
believed  in  in  the  East.    With  those  who  purchase 
rank   it  is   often  simply   the  position   and  status 
that   the  money   has  obtained,   and   the   right   to 
appear  on  all  occasions  of  ceremony  in  the  robes 
and    insignia    that    appertain    to    the    rank    pur- 
chased,   though    in    some    cases    office    itself    is 
obtained.     These  recipients  of  official  rank  do  not 
have  the  honour  and  the  respect  of  their  fellows 
which   IS   accorded   to   those   who   have   obtained 
the  position  by  hard  study  and  examination.     In 
fact,   there  is  a  certain   feeling  of  contempt   for 
them.     There   is   no   caste   in   China,    though   an 
Emperor's   son   tried   once   to   introduce   it   from 
India,   fortunately  without  success.     The  nearest 
approach   to  it   is   this  class  of  mandarins,   and 
the  literati,  forming  the  body  of  cadets  who  become 
the  mandarins.     There  is  also  another  class-that 
of  the  gentry.     These   are  composed  of  gentle- 
men, generally  literati,  and  in  this  way  the  two 
circles  impinge.     These  gentry,  let  it  be  under- 
stood, are  not  mandarins,   but  they  have  a  good 
deal  to  say  in  local  matters,  and  sit  in  council 
on  the  affairs  of  the  neighbourhood,  and  are  looked 


^^ajBwMwHtl 


The  Mandarin 

to  by  the  mandarins  to  keep  a  certain  amount  of 
respectability  and  order  in  their  neighbourhood 
-m  fact,  they  assist  the  officials  to  some  extent 
m  their  governance  of  the  people,  as  they  are 
looked  upon,  as  said  above,  for  the  maintenance 
of  good  order.  Even  in  the  villages  this  system 
IS  earned  out,  and  the  elders  of  the  village  form 
a  body  who  exercise  a  certain  rule  over  their 
village. 

The  Englishman  goes  abroad  to  foreign  lands 
to  take  up  the  white  man's  burden  ;  the  Chinese 
mandarin  also  goes  abroad  to  take  up  the  yellow 
mans  burden-the  load  of  his  own  country's 
govemance-for  abroad  it  is  to  him  in  many  a  case 
as  he  travels  to  strange  scenes,  he  settles  amongst 
those  who  talk  a  different  language,  and  finds  new 
customs  and  habits  of  life  prevalent.  He  requires 
mterpreters  to  understand  what  is  being  said,  and 
to  mterpret  what  he  says  to  the  natives  of  the 
place. 

The  language  in  which  the  official  business 
IS  conducted  is  called  Mandarin,  and  is  spoken 
over  a  large  part  of  China.  AH  mandarins,  if 
It  is  not  their  native  tongue,  learn  it;  but  it 
IS  a  foreign  speech  to  many  of  them  and  often 
badly  spoken  by  those  who  thus  acquire  it. 

A  mandarin's  tenure  of  any  particular  office  is 
for  three  years,  unless  promotion  comes  sooner, 
when  there  is  another  uprooting,  and  he  is  abroad 
agam,  though  at  home  in  his  own  land  ;  for  no 
official  is  allowed  to  rule,  except  in  the  rarest  cases, 

112 


Literary  Pursuits 

in  his  own  native  province,  as  the  Chinese  use  every 
safeguard  to  prevent  favouritism.  For  th.s  reason 
he  must  not  talce  a  wife  from  amongst  those  he 
r^es  over  nor  are  father  and  son  allowed  to  hold 
office   m   the   same   province.     The   son  in   such 

just  happened  ktely  where  a  son  was  an  intendant 
of  crcuu  m  the  Honan  province,  and  his  father 
was  appomted  governor  of  that  province.  The 
son  had  to  be  transferred  to  another  part  of  the 
country.  '^  ™ 

Many  a  mandarin  comes  up  from  the  long 
curriculum  of  study  that  is  necessary  to  ga"n 
success  at  the  examinations  (which  are  the  doors 
to  the  waitmg-room  for  candidates  to  office)  an 
ardent  student,  and  he  employs  what  leisure  he 
has  m  hterary  labours  and  the  composition  of 
verse_  Many  of  the  works  that  add  to  the  lustre 
o^C^.na^s  hterature  are  due  to  the  pen  of  her 

The  official  government  of  China  is  to  the 
stranger  apparently  a  complex  one  ;  but  on  a 
closer  examination  of  it,  it  will  be  found  to  be 

case  ,  and  .t  :s  one  which  is,  on  the  whole,  well 
ackpted  to  the  people.  I„  the  province  "he 
mandarms  are  formed  into  different  boards  or 
committees  of  ways  and  means,  for  the  depart- 
ments or  provinces  over  which  they  have  sway 

for    h'  '""'i°P°''^'  ^'•"^  'he  government  centres 

for  the  whole  Empire,  there  are  numerous  boards 

"3 


i 


The  Mandarin 

which  fulfil  the  functions  of  equivalent  departments 
of  state  and  councils  of  one  sort  and  another  in 
our  Western  lands.  Attention  has  already  been 
called  to  one  of  the  most  curious  of  these,  the 
Censorate,  composed  of  some  forty  or  fifty 
members. 

A  system  of  promotion  and  degradation  is 
established  for  officials,  and  the  curious  port  of 
it  is  that  the  mandarin,  in  the  proclamations  he 
issues,  details  them.  The  fortunate,  or  un- 
fortunate, man  cannot  hide  his  honours  or  his 
disgraces,  and  the  same  individual  has,  if  high 
in  the  service,  several  of  each  to  his  name.  He 
first  gives  his  surname,  with  the  offices  he  holds, 
and  then  he  sets  forth  how  many  times  he  has 
been  promoted  and  how  often  degraded.  It  is 
a  well-understoou  thing.  No  one  thinks  any  the 
worse  of  him  for  it  ;  the  one  falls  as  much  to 
his  lot  as  the  other,  if  long  in  the  service.  Nor 
can  he  avoid  the  one  more  than  the  other  ;  and 
he  may  not  be  worthy  of  the  one,  nor  to  blame 
for  the  other. 

Already  there  are  signs  that  the  gorgeous  East 
will  conform  herself  to  the  West  more  and  more 
in  the  future  than  she  has  done  in  the  past  : 
already  the  naval  officers  of  the  modem  warships 
have  adopted  the  Western  stj-le  of  uniform,  for 
flowing  robes  and  silks  and  satins  are  not  con- 
gruous with  the  modem  battleship.  They  may 
be  in  unison  with  the  old  bizarre  war-junk,  all 
gay  with  bright  colours  and  streamers,  but  invisible 
114 


Naval  Uniform 


are  more  m  keeping  with  their  sober  colours  The 
men  also  approximate  more  to  the  West  in  tlieir 
unifonn,  though  there  is  enough  of  the  East  about 
It  to  make  it  more  picturesque,  for  a  bit  of 
colour  u  imi^rted  to  it  by  the  scarlet  cummer- 
bund round  the  waist  of  the  sailors. 


"S 


CHAPTER   X 

Law  and  Order 

A  N   elaborate  coda  of   laws,   in   existence  for 
■TV     many  centuries,  is  the  ground-work   which 
governs  the  action  of  those  who  administer  the 
laws.     As  each  new  dynasty  occupies  the  throne, 
a  new   revision   takes   place,   and  a   digestion   of 
the  former  code,  and  the  result  is  a  new  edition 
or  version,   the   foundations  of   which   were   laid 
twenty  centuries  since,  when  a  simple  code  was 
drawn  up,  based  on  an  even  still  earlier  and  more 
rudimentary  system.    The  evolutionary  process  has 
gone  on  all  down  through  the  ages.     There  have 
arisen,  of  course,  as  different  additions  were  made, 
ambiguity,  confusion  complications,  intricacies  and 
inconveniencies,    ai      cialities    and    complexities  ; 
but   what   complex     .nd   full   system   of   law   does 
not   cont?in   withiu   it  all   these  faults?      Take   it 
all  in  all,  "the  Chinese  penal  code  is  admirably 
adapted  to  the  requirements  of  its  teeming  popu- 
lation  of    law-abiding  subjects,   taking   into   con- 
sideration the  great  difference  in  the  fundamental 
principles  on  which  the  superstructure  is  founded  " 
Il6 


Ou«t  Presumed 


.,  The    Edinburgh    ,ieWeu>   „id    of    the    cod. 

so    entireTy    free    f  '°  ""'"'^'".  °^  «hat  is 

fiction       In  evervehrr  TT"^''    "'^"''y-    ^^-^ 

fully  defecXe  r  J  7r  hr";'' "  '"'"=^'*  ^- 

order  and  the  genthe  cJerdol  „f   ''''"'°"   °'  '^''■ 

o^the  Chief  «io™,  that  pre':^ In  ouHaltou^ 
-d  ill'iaT  tKft,'"'  '""-'  '°  ^°  -' 

j^.h.o4tr^s:r.-rt:?! 

"1  ail  his  defence  to  nose  as  if  k-   u  ,•        ,^' 
himself    whilo  th»  ■  "*  believed  so 

all  Vhl'  "nagistrate  or  judge  gives  him 

an    the    assistance    he      ar,    ;.,    i        •    *  "" 


Law  and  Order 

fa  no  doubt  the  system  would  work  admirably, 
and  the  well-being  of  the  many  be  conserved. 
The  laws  are  divided  into  the  lut,  or  fundamental 
laws,  and  tai,  supplementary  laws  ;  the  former 
are  permanent  ;  the  latter,  which  are  liable  to 
revision  every  five  years,  are  the  modifications, 
extensions,  and  restrictions  of  the  fundamental 
laws.  Each  article  of  the  fundamental  laws  has 
been  ''iewise  explained  or  paraphrased  by  the 
Emperor  Yung  Ching,  "  and  the  whole  of  the  text 
is  further  illustrated  by  extracts  from  the  works 
of  various  commentators.  These  appear  to  have 
been  expressly  written  for  the  use  and  instruc- 
tion of  magistrates,  and  accordingly  form  a 
body  of  legal  reference  directly  sanctioned  for 
that  purpose  by  the  Government." 

To  a  certain  extent  the  Chinese  officials  partake 
more  of  the  character  of  the  commissioners  or 
collectors  in  our  Indian  Empire.  There  are  judges 
or  judicial  commissioners,  who  are  few  in  number, 
and  of  exalted  position  ;  one  serving  for  a 
province,  with  twenty  million  or  more  inhabitants  ; 
almost  all  the  other  officials,  from  the  district 
magistrate  upwards,  perform  judicial  functions,  as 
well  as  fiscal  and  executive.  From  a  court  of 
first  ipstancc,  if  the  crime  deserves  it,  the  criminal 
is  passed  on  to  higher  tribunals,  to  fix  his  fetters 
still  stronger  on  him  or  to  release  his  bonds. 
Thf  consequence  of  all  this  is  that  a  large  city 
will  contain  several  prisons  attached  to  the  quarters 
and  offices  of  different  officials. 
ii8 


Prison  Life 


to  .his  ;crtTof  o'jrci'r  °""?" ;"  ""'"^•" 

othervvise  surprise  us  w^      /■     ^^'  *^'  *°"''' 
«blc  and  natural  *'    •'  ""''"'''  '"''°"- 

to   c     ,idera.ion,    ,or    his    heaUhT  ^L^^el^^^ 

ence  ,0  Peking  and  the  r^y    rom  .he  Thtn" 
can  be  received      Th-..    •  throne 

of  .he  prTsons    ■    o  „    ,"  "°  ""'"P"  ^"P"vision 

to  keep  soul  and^x.v  vo,  ■      -'  T1  '"f ""' 
necessary  for  an>    ,  r^en  Nt .'  -   ' '  '     "  "^^^  '' 

and  the  gauntlet  ■  V    '     "  ^""  '"  ^  Saol, 

^ards   L   oX    be   ru    ■  r  V-  -;;-  -'^ 
an  effective  closing  up  of  ,  i,  /nf     ^ .     '   *"■ 

prisoners  are  mangled       ,, any      ses   and  h    h'^ 
-.ether  i„  large  numbers.   Jir:o\ZS^ 


I  hi 


t>   If 


M!il 


'  ^  § 

1 

M 

i;! 

'^1 

:Mf'^ 

1 

i 


|ilH! 


ii 


Law  and  Order 

to  ease  Ae  enforced  confinement ;    unshaven  and 
unshom,  they  present  a  hideous  sight. 

There  are  signs  that  this  old  regime  is  changing 
and  prison  reform,  which  has  but  scarcely  beguni 
will,  we  hope,  ere  long  quite  revolutionise  the' 
whole  system.  Not  only  are  the  underlings  in  the 
whole  j'amSn  open  to  the  persuasive  influence  of 
silver,  but  gifts  pervert  justice  amongst  even  the 
higher  officials,  and  the  longer  purse  is  generally 
able  to  win  the  day  in  the  long  run. 

The  extreme  penalty  of  the  law  seems  frequent 
m  Its  infliction,  but  let  us  remember  that  in  the 
time  of  our  grandfathers,  or  fathers  even,  a  man's 
life  was  of  less  account  than  a  sheep's  and 
hundreds  were  execute.?  for  stealing  that  animal 
Probably  life  is  as  secure,  if  not  a  good  deal 
more  so,  m  China  than  it  was  in  those  days  in 
our  own  land  when  the  sacredness  of  human  life 
was  little  respected. 

"  Criminals  guilty  of  extraordinary  offences,  as 
robbery  attended  with  murder,  arson,  rape,  break- 
ing into  fortifications,  highway  robbery,  and  piracy 
may  be  immediately  beheaded  without  reference  " 
to  the  Throne.  "  In  ordinary  cases  the  executions 
are  postponed  till  the  autumnal  assizes,  when  tf  c; 
Emperor  revises  and  confirms  the  sentences  of 
the  provincial  governors."  ■ 

There  are  two  modes  of  capital  punishment- 
decapitation  and  strangulation.    Strangling  is  con- 
sidered  the   less   disgraceful;    so   much   so,   that 
*  Williams,  i.  p.  513. 

130 


'<  Ml 


Torture 

whe^  an  official   is   deemed   worthy  of  death   it 

hi«ra:L;^tr;hU:itrhe'r"°^ '°  -''' 

at  the  hands  of  the  public  executioner. 

nature'lhlh  '"  °^  ""'""^'^  ^^^^^^^  '"  human 
S  it  Thif'"'  "''"/'  ''^^  opportunity  is 
nnl^^     ;      V        =^^^g"y   found   vent   under   the 

na^  o°f  th  '^'°"  ""  '"^  '"''"■='"°"  ■'  ""'^^  the 
name  of  the  conservation  of  order  it  appears  in 

he     most     disorderly     manner     i„     a"^  Ru    i^ 

pogrom";    in  the  name  of  justice,  in  the  mo^ 

unjust  proceedings  of  an  American    ynchTng    I 

the  name  of  an  elucidation  of  the  truth    fn'th^ 

torture  of  a  Russian  police  cell  or  a  CMnl' 

of  justice  or  prison  ^'"^'^  '°"" 

and'^rtt.""'"'  ''  '""^  =^^  '''^  "'''«  -°'W  over, 
traJs  of  .h  "'^'  "^^  '^^^  "°'  his  worse  anima 
traits  of  character  tamed  by  the  beneficent  effects 
of  rehg,  ,,1^,^  ,y  s.U^omrol  and  a  supreme 
regard  for  justice  in  all  its  aspects,  the  result 
.s  disastrous  to  his  fellow-men  should  he  have  or 
usurp  authority  over  them.  They  all  serve  to  show 
-whether  they  be  Russian  •' pogroms  '  TurS 
massacres,  American   lynchings!  Roma;   CathoHc 

ferinS^^ir^-Ss^i 

Torture    in    China    is    legal    or    illegal       Th. 
bamboo  leads  the  way-the  bamboo,  uf^ersal  in 

131 


Law  and  Order 


a  land  which  might  be  termed  The  Land  of  the 
Bamboo.  Our  thumbscrew  of  old  is  replaced  by 
finger-squeezers  and  ankle -squeezers.  The  illegal 
tortures,  some  of  which,  if  not  all,  are  winked  at 
by  those  high  in  authority,  are  numerous,  and 
show  to  what  refinement  of  cruelty  men's  coarse 
nature  can  descend,  when  once  mercy  goes  by 
the  board. 

There  are  indications  that  even  legal  torture 
will  soon  be  illegal  in  this  land,  which  is  desirous 
of  really  taking  her  place  properly  amongst  the 
foremost  nations  of  the  world.  Edicts  have  been 
issued  against  the  practice,  and  doubtless  it  will 
be  a  thing  of  the  past  er^  long. 

Why  is  it  done  in  the  name  of  justice? 
Because  the  prisoner  must  confess  his  gu'lt— a 
fiction  of  the  law  in  China  ;  therefore  torture  must 
be  resorted  to  to  extort  the  confession.  The  wit- 
nesses will  not  tell  the  truth  ;  then  physical  pain 
and  mental  anguish  will  force  it  out  of  their  lips. 
So  the  courts  resound  with  blows  and  agonised 
groans  and  cries,  and  thus  out  of  disorder  order 
of  a  kind  is  evolved.  Truth  is  thus  supposed  to 
grow  amongst  thorns  and  brambles  ;  but  can 
Eschol  clusters  be  thus  obtained?  The  magistrate 
or  judge  has  to  do  the  best  he  can— and  what  can 
he  do?  The  Chinaman's  mouth  is  full  of  lies— 
the  East  produces  lies  in  abundance,  as  well  as 
some  truth. 

The  Chinese  are  a  law-abiding  people.  Crime 
is  not  rife  amongst  them,  all  things  being  taken 


Local  Self-Govemment 


into  consideration.  Indigent  circumstances,  the 
starvation  point— these  are  the  chief  incentives  to 
theft.  The  rapacity  of  bad  officials  is  a  very 
cogent  reason  in  their  eyes  for  rebellion,  and  a 
resort  to  its  concomitant  crimes  and  evils.  Bad 
feeling,  except  in  the  case  of  clan  fights,  gener- 
ally finds  relief  in  a  storm  of  words  ;  angry 
passions  find  vent  in  noisy  talk,  and  the  situation 
is  relieved.  With  the  Chinaman,  expression 
apparently  relieves  passion,  and  the  storm  of 
words  calms  the  overwrought  feelings.  With  the 
Englishman  the  altercation  often  ends  in  a  fight  ; 
the  outpourings  of  taunts  and  reproaches  only  leads 
to  assault  and  battery. 

To  a  considerable  extent— though  parliamentary 
life  is  but  just  beginning — and  therefore  in  a 
different  way  than  in  the  West,  the  Chinese  rule 
themselves.  The  elders  in  a  village,  acknowledged 
by  the  powers  that  be,  have  a  considerable  amount 
of  power  in  their  bands.  Petty  cases  of  theft, 
even  in  cities,  are  dealt  with  without  recourse  to 
the  courts.  A  not  imcommon  punishment  for  this 
crime  is  the  whipping  through  the  streets.  Here 
we  have  again  a  counterpart  of  flogging  at  a  cart's 
tail  which  some  of  our  parents  have  seen  in  our 
own  land.  The  stocks,  too,  of  which  relics  are 
still  standing  in  some  of  our  villages,  have  their 
equivalent  in  the  wooden  collar,  which,  however, 
is  more  like  the  pillory  of  our  own  past  times. 
Within  this  square  collar  of  wood  the  criminal  is 
unable  to  feed  himself,  and  has  to  endure  the  dis- 
123 


<       \ 


Law  and  Order 

comfort  and  ignominy  of  it  often  at  the  roadside. 
This  cangue,  as  it  is  called,  has  been  found  an 
excellent  deterrent  in  our  own  colony  of  Hong 
Kong,  as  a  punishment  for  theft  and  other  minor 
offences.  And  here  let  it  be  remarked  that  a 
Chmese  mode  of  dealing  with  Chinese  is  often 
more  effectual  than  our  present  up-to-date  Western 
methods. 

Let  us  ..pply  an  Eastern  aphorism  to  an  Eastern 
condition  of  affairs  ;  for  it  was  well  said  that  you 
could  not  put  new  wine  into  old  bottles.  After' all, 
in  a  land  which,  from  an  Eastern  standpoint,  js 
law-abiding  and  orderly,  an  immense  amount  of 
disorderliness  abounds  and  rampantly  asserts  itself, 
looked  at  from  a  Western  point  of  view. 

If  one  were  to  take  note  of  the  constant  reports 
of  rebellion,  the  country  would  seem  to  be  in  a 
state  of  chronic  rebellion.     Little  ebullitions  are 
sprmgmg  up  every  now  and  then  here  and  there  all 
over  the  country  ;  no  sooner  does  one  appear  to  be 
quieted  in  one  quarter  when  another  seems  to  raise 
Its  head  in  another  part  of  the  empire.    There  have 
been    some    of    gigantic    proportions,    such     for 
instance,  as  the  great  Tai  Ping  rebellion,  which 
shocked  the  whole  world.     This,  though  born  in 
the  southern  provinces  of  China,  swept  over  the 
whole  of  the  central  portion  and  located  itself  in 
the  ancient  capital  city  of  Nanking  for  seventeen 
years    (1850-67).    The   movement   began   under 
the   leadership  of  a  visionary,   who,  assimilating 
some  of  the  truths  of  Christianity,  and  aided  by 
124 


The  Talping  RebelUon 

the  dreams  of  a  disordered  mind,  developed  a 
political  religion,  which  empowered  him  to  rule 
over  China,  and  drive  the  hated  Manchu  from  the 
throne  of  his  forefathers. 

At  one  time  it  really  looked  as  if  this  would  be 
accomplished.  At  first  the  utmost  discipline 
appears  to  have  been  kept ;  but  round  his  standard 
and  the  nucleus  of  earnest,  religious  visionaries, 
a  horde  of  riff-raff  gathered,  and  the  leader  soon 
failed  to  show  his  right  to  take  the  crown  from 
the  foreign  rulers  of  his  country. 

This  insurrection  changed  the  fertile  garden  into 
a  desert.  The  people  were  ground  between  the 
two  forces,  as  between  an  upper  and  nether  mill- 
stone. The  city  of  Hankow  was  taken  six  times 
by  the  rebels  in  the  course  of  thirty  months.  An 
attempt  was  made  to  reach  Peking,  but  it  failed. 
Ruthless  conflicts  occurred,  in  which  the  unoffend- 
ing inhabitants  of  the  country  suffered  the  horrors 
of  civil  war  without  any  of  the  ameliorating  con- 
comitants of  such  events  in  the  West.  Blr  .dshed 
and  massacre  ruled  supreme  througho  five 
immense  provinces  ;  seventy  thousand  inhabitants 
perished  m  the  city  of  Hangchau  alone.  Shanghai 
would  have  been  taken  but  that  the  foreign 
residents  in  that  city  protected  it. 

The  recruits  to  the  ranks  of  the  insurgents,  as 
tune  went  on,  were  mainly  conquered  natives,  who 
were  forced  to  join  them,  and  who  found  them- 
selves between  the  frying-pan  and  the  fire,  as  under 
these  circumstances  they  were  considered  by  the 

125 


ll 


ft.,  i 


Law  and  Order 

Imperialists    to    be    rebels,    and.    if   taken,    were 
beheaded  offhand.     In  fact,  it  seems  that  some,  at 
all  events,   were  branded  on  the  cheeks   by  the 
rebels  when  thus  conscripted  into  their  ranks,  so 
that  escape  was  utterly  impossible  ;  for  they  dared 
not  show  themselves  again  in  their  own  homes  or 
amongst   their   own   people,    with   their   apparent 
guilt  plamly  proclaimed  on  their  faces.     Untold 
horrors  were  inflicted  on  the  people  by  both  forces 
The   movement   rapidly  degenerated   after   the 
unsuccessful  endeavour  to  reach  Peking.     There 
were  dissensions  amongst,  the  leaders,  though  the 
new  military  commanders  seemed  to  have  the  spirit 
of   the    first    leaders.      Eventually    this    gigantic 
revolution  was  killed  by  the  aid  of  the  foreigners 
of  whom,  as  leader.  General  Gordon  was  the  most 
conspicuous. 

Thus  ended  one  of  the  most  disastrous  rebellions 
that  China  has  ever  known,  and  her  history  is  full 
of  such  events.     The  population  of   China   was 
kept  dovni  within  its  present  limits  by  these  awful 
massacres  of  innocent  and  guilty  alike  ;    for  city 
after   city   was   made   a   pile   of   ruins,    and   its 
inhabitants  put  to  the  sword.    After  the  recapture 
of  Nankmg  three  days  and  three  nights  were  spem 
in    the    massacre     of    its    inhabitants     by    the 
Imperialists,  and  fourteen  years  after  this  city  still 
lay  m   ruins.     As  another  instance  the  case  of 
Chang  Chow,  in  Fokien,  may  be  mentioned,  where 
from   SIX  to  seven  hundred  thousand  men  were 
killed  by  the  rebels  or  perished  by  disease. 

136 


Quelling  Rebellions 


Of  a  different  class  are  the  Mohammedan  rebel- 
lions   of   which  there   have   been   several   serious 

th»        J      °"^  "*  *''*  n°'-th-west  and  the  one  in 

awful.     They  were  fought  with  the  greatest  deter- 
mination on   the  part  of  the   rebefs,  and  in  all 

n.u''  "tTu*^'!.™'"**'""  '^^'^'  *°  have  been  the 
rule  on  both  sides. 

With  a  rebellion  in  China  two  methods  can  be 
adopted:  the  leaders  of  the  outburst  m^  be 
bought  over  and  made  mandarins,  if  the  promise 
made  to  them  to  induce  them  to  put  down  their 

w^  the^'^th  ■  Vr'^  '^  ''''  =^«'  "'^y  ''""g  °ver 
with  them  their  followers.     The  other  alternative 

IS  extermmation  of  aU-man.  woman,  and  child- 

^ounS'  T^^f  ^"  *"  dwelling-houses  to  the 
ground.  To  understand  what  war  in  China  is,  we 
must  agam  go  back  to  the  Middle  Ages  in  Europe 
^  find  Its  counterpart.  War  at  all  times  is  savage, 
but  in  the  East  it  is  savairc  nrift,  , 
Harf  fi,«  vr  I,  J      ^^^*8^  w>w  a  vengeance. 

Had  the  Mohammedan  rebellion  in  the  north-west 
not  been  put  down,  its  followers  in  their  fanatical 

of  their  belief.  To  what  extent  it  spread  is  not 
known,  but  It  was  very  serious  in  its  character 
as  also  was  th*t  in  the  Yunnan  province.     It  must 

S  cl      T  *'  ^''^'  ^^  »°'  ^^  ^  religion 
In  China  the  sword  is  not  used  by  the  Moham- 

his  fLIth'  ^  '"''"""'  °^  '=°nverting  the  heathen  to 
"7 


Law  and  Order 

In  addition  to  these  convulsions,  which  almost 
shook  the  Empire  to  its  very  centre,  ,there  are 
little  rebellions  which,  owing  to  the  inability  or 
corruption  of  the  mandarins,  are  allowed  to  spread 
and  increase  in  power  and  strength,  till  what  might 
by  just  dealing  and  a  vigorous  system  of  repression 
have  been  avoided  or  overcome,  is  allowed  to  gain 
head  until  matters  become  serious. 

Added  to  all  this  there  are  clan  fights  in  some 
parts  of  the  country,  where  for  years  a  species  of 
vendetta  is  carried  on  between  different  villages, 
which  at  times  almost  rises  to  the  magnitude  or 
dignity  of  small  civil  wars,  when  troops  have  to 
be  sent  to  put  an  end  to  the  strife. 

An  outbreak  of  another  nature  was  known  as 
the  Boxer  rbing.  Its  most  prominent  features 
were  the  massacre  of  missionaries  and  native 
Christians,  and  the  siege  of  the  Legations  in 
Peking. 


I 


138 


CHAPTER   XI 


The  Diverse  Tongues   of  John 
Chinaman 

THOUGH  they  are  not  so  diverse  in  nationality 
as  some  congeries  of  people  that  call  them- 
selves by  the  name  of  a  nation,  yet  there  has  been 
a  conglomeration  of  diverse  elements  amongst  the 
Chinese.  Why  is  such  a  fuss  made  about  purity 
of  blood?  Is  it  because  like  rainbow  gold  it  is 
nowhere  to  be  found?  With  a  nation  like  the 
Chinese  it  is  nearer  of  attainment  than  with  a 
composite  people  like  ourselves — an  amalgam  of 
Briton  and  Saxon  and  Dane  and  Norman,  to 
reduce  it  to  its  very  simplest  elements. 

Nor  are  the  Chinese  separated  into  such  a 
multiplicity  of  races  and  tribes  and  peoples  as 
the  inhabitants  of  the  Indian  Empire,  with  their 
ninety  languages  and  viine  hundred  dialects,  though 
in  the  latter  re?pei  t  ihey  are  in  the  running,  but 
somewhat  behind  ;  for  they  speak  with  cloven 
tongues,  which  help  to  render  the  cleavage  more 
intense  between  different  sections  of  the  country. 
139 


Diverse  Tongues 

The  Chinaman  has,  not  an  easy  aptitude  for 
learning  to  speak  in  other  tongues,  with  their 
variations  in  tone  as  well  as  their  different 
cadences  of  accent.  The  best  school  for  a 
Chinaman  to  learn  Chinese  as  spoken  by  his 
fellow-countrymen  a  few  hundreds  of  miles  trom 
where  he  himself  lives  is  out  of  China.  Let  hini 
be  bom  in  Singapore  or  the  Straits  Settlements, 
or  thereabouts,  in  a  world  where  he  may  lisp  his 
baby-talk  in  as  many  Chinese  languages  as  he  has 
fingers  on  one  hand,  while  he  may  take  into  count 
the  fingers  of  the  other  hand  with  soft  Malay 
and  more  robust  English,  and  any  other  stray 
speech  that  may  come  across  his  way.  It  is 
curious  to  see  how  awkwardly  a  Chinaman 
splutters,  in  his  attempts  to  pronounce  what  to 
him  is  virtually  a  strange  tongue,  even  if  it  be  one 
spoken  within  the  borders  of  his  own  land.  Again, 
if  the  average  Englishman  has  a  difficulty  in 
learning  to  speak  Chinese  properly,  the  Chinese 
have  equal  difficulty  in  learning  to  speak  our 
language,  so  bristling  is  it  with  difficulties  of  mood 
and  tense  and  number  and  person  and  case  and 
comparison,  to  say  nothing  of  accent  and  voca- 
bulary and  pronunciation. 

Now  let  it  be  clearly  understood  that  Mandarin 
is  not  the  language  of  China,  though  some  people 
who  ought  to  know  better  think  and  say  so.  It 
is  true  that  Mandarin  is  the  language  spoken  in 
Peking  ;  and  a  kin<^  of  Mandarin  is  the  language 
of  Nanking.  A  Mandarin  of  another  kind  is 
130 


Mandarin  and  Pekingese 

ipoken  in  the  extreme  west.  Possibly  some  other 
Mandarin  of  suflScient  distinctive  importance,  and 
considerably  diflferent  from  those  air.  ady  known  to 
the  sinologue  may  yet  be  separated  out  from  the 
others,  and  attain  the  honour  of  having  dictionaries, 
grammars,  and  word-  and  phrase-books  and 
various  vade-mecums  prepared  for  it  by  the  in- 
dustrious and  inquisitive  foreign  snident  in  this 
Land   of   Many  Speeches   and  Tongues. 

Mandarin  in  some  form  is  spoken  in  fifteen 
provinces  out  of  the  eighteen.  All  officials  of  any 
position  are  supposed  to  speak  Pekingese,  as  it 
would  be  impossible  for  an  official  to  learn  a 
dozen  languages  in  the  course  of  his  career,  ill- 
equipped  as  he  is  for  the  task  by  nature,  by  books, 
or  by  assistance  of  any  kind,  to  say  nothing  of 
the  months  or  years  of  inaction,  should  the  new 
incumbents  of  the  recently  filled  posts  have  to 
learn  to  speak  a>iother  variety  of  their  own  tongue. 
Pekingese  thus  forms  the  lingua  franca  of  the 
higher  officials  and  their  entourage.  To  deal  with 
the  millions  of  those  under  their  rule  interpieters 
have  to  be  employed,  if  any  verbal  communications 
are  to  pass  between  those  who  govern  and  the 
governed  :  so  that  in  court  or  elsewhere  ti.ese 
interpreters  are  the  media  for  the  t  insmission  of 
the  evidence,  the  statements,  the  decisions,  &c., 
unless  the  populace  be  a  Mandarin-speaking  one. 
There  may  be  some  fifty  millions  in  China,  or 
even  more,  to  whom  Pekingese  is  u  strange 
language.  How  many  more  there  may  be  who  are 
131 


.1 

ill 

1 

HUH' 

^^M 

'f  l 

RV 

11 

"i 

ii 

m 

IB 

Wfy  •  ji 

'^^^^1 

II 

p  ! 

' 

J 

! 
I 


Diverse  Tongues 

supposed  to  be  Mandarin-speakers,  but  whose  dia- 
lect of  tljat  tongue  is  so  different  from  the  standard 
of  the  metropolis  as  to  render  it  difficult  for  their 
rulers  to  understand  what  they  say,  it  is  impossible 
to  even  form  a  guess.  It  has  been  said  above 
that  I'ekingese  is  supposed  to  be  spoken  by  the 
higher  officials  ;  but  many  a  one  so  mixes  up 
his  own  particular  form  of  Mandarin  with  the 
outward  veneer  of  a  badly  acquired  Pekingese 
that  till  one  gets  acquainted  with  his  peculiar  and 
atrocious  pronunciation  or'  peculiar  tones  his 
language  is  not  easily  intelligible. 

Most  ardent  theatre-goers  pick  up  a  smattering 
of  Southern  Mandarin  or  Nankingese.  Even  in 
so-called  Mandarin-speaking  districts  the  people 
have  a  lingo  of  their  own,  which  is  not  under- 
stood by  those  who  have  not  made  a  special  study 
of  it. 

In  South-Eastern  China,  extending  even  to  the 
central  coast-wise  portion  of  the  land,  there  are 
languages  quite  different  from  Mandarin,  millions 
upon  millions  of  the  speakers  of  which  know  no 
other  language  but  their  own.  These  languages 
arc  carried  abroad  by  their  speakers  to  our 
colonies,  so  that  the  complex  problem  of  Chinese 
all  speaking  languages  and  dialects  differing  from 
one  another  confronts  our  cadets  and  officials,  in 
their  endeavours  to  reach  the  governed  in  their 
own  tongues.  In  the  Straits  Settlements  there  are 
Chinese  from  Canton,  from  Amoy,  from  Swatow, 
from  Hainan,  and  there  are  Hakkas.  It  is  possible 
133 


-   -1  ! 


A   ►KMAl.K  ACKOn.M 


Diversity  and  Unity 

there  may  be  some  from  the  cities  of  Foochow,  or 
Shanghai,  or  Ningpo,  or  even  other  places.  Out 
of  the  eight  places  named  above,  five  or  six  are 
so  distinct  m  their  speech  from  each  other  that 

Xi  r  l°"l  *'  "'''"'■  O'  'he  remaining 
places,  though  the  speech  is  dissimilar,  yet  the 
dwellers  m  one  might  understand  one  from  one 
or  two  of  the  other  places,  but  not  from  the 
other  spots.  This  method  of  stating  the  case  may 
serve  to  show  that  these  languages  are  as  distinct 

there  IS  a  bond  of  union  rumiing  through  all,  in 
a  similarity  of  structure  and  a  resemblancfof  form 
If  one  may  use  the  simile,  they  are  all  built  up  on 
the  same  order  of  architecture,   but  though  the 

m'such'""  ""•  °",'  "^"""'^  «'^«'  "'^^-^e. 
ouLiH  fl  """''^  °^  individual  differences  and 
outside  mfluences  have  been  brought  to  bear  in 

sTmltudr    ''    "    ^"^^    '-^^'^    '^    ^PP-- 
Most,  if  not  all  of  these,  are  of  more  ancient 
origm  than  the  Mandarin,  and,  as  proof  of  thTs 

races  of  older  times  of  one  kind  and  another  are 
found  m  them.  While  a  change  more  or  less 
pronounced  has  taken  place  in  all  of  them  from 
then  remote  antiquity,  as  compared  with  the 
Mandarin,  they  are  more  conservative  in  their 
forms  than  the  Northern  Mandarin  (of  Peking) 
has  proved  itself  to  be  in  its  proximity  to  "he 
Tartar  speeches  of  the  north. 

133  K 


I 


Diverse  Tongues 

The  importance  of  the  languages  has  been  lost 
sight  of  by  the  name  "  dialect  "  being  wrongly 
applied  to  them.  This  misuse  of  the  term  leaves 
no  word  to  describe  the  dialects,  which  are  so 
numerous  as  to  have  been  said  to  equal  in  number 
the  days  in  the  year.  In  some  parts  of  the  country 
these  are  so  many  n  number  as  to  allow  at  least 
many  a  district  (county)  to  have  one  of  its  own. 
These  dialects  are  again  subdivided  into  sub- 
dialects,  and  the  subdivison  goes  on  till  at  last 
even  a  city  will  have  two  or  three  local  pecu- 
liarities in  speech  between  its  suburbs,  and 
between  them  and  the  area  within  the  walls 
itself. 

In  the  city  of  Canton,  for  instance,  the  language 
spoken  in  the  west  end  differs  in  some  slight 
respects  from  that  spoken  in  the  southern  suburbs, 
and  again,  inside  a  part  of  the  Old  City  (as 
the  most  ancient  part  of  the  city  is  called) 
the  language  is,  on  account  of  the  banner-men 
and  some  Mandarin-speakers,  corrupted  with  an 
infusion  of  Mandarin  ;  while  again  that  of  the 
Ho  Nam  suburb  differs  in  some  respects  from 
that  of  some  other  portions  of  the  city.  That  of 
the  western  suburbs  is  the  standard  of  cr.rect 
pronunciation  for  the  greater  part  of  the  province 
—in  fact,  the  Cantonese  which  is  respected  by 
some  20,000,000  or  more  of  people.  The 
language  used  by  some  of  the  country  districts 
not°a  hundred  miles  from  Canton,  is  the  native 
tongue  of  hundreds  of  thousands  of  dwellers  in 
134 


iwu  iir?z.w^i.  -SB  ' 


Linguistic  Barriers 

city,  town,  and  village,  and  is  unintelligible  without 
study  to  the  cultured  Canton  city  resident. 

As  an  instance  of  how  it  is  impossible  for  'he 
native  of  one   part  of  China  to   understand  one 
from  another  district,  I  may  call  attention  to  the 
curious  sight,  often  seen  in  Hong  Kong,  of  an  amah 
(nurse   in  a  foreign  family)   brought   from,   say, 
the  north  of  China,  conversing  with  another  servant 
belonging  to  the  Colony,  not  in  their  own  native 
tongue,  but  in  Pidgin-English,  as  otherwise  they 
could    not    understand    each    other.      Still    more 
common   is    it    in   the   courts   of   ju.=tice    in    that 
Colony  to  see  an  Englishman  interpreting   what 
one   Chinaman   says   to  another   Chinaman,    both 
living  in  the  Colony,  for  the  simple  reason  that  the 
foreigner  in  this  case  has  learned  two  or  more  of 
the  Chinese  languages,  while  the  Chinese  in  ques- 
tion only   know  one  each— that   into   which    they 
were  born,  if  one  may  so  put  it— and  have  never 
learned  that  of  the  other  Chinaman,  and  so  each 
IS   indebted   to   a   foreigner   to   learn   what    their 
own  countryman  is  saying. 

Conditioned  by  his  surroundings  and  his  loca- 
tion, and  the  different  influences  which  have  come 
into  play  upon  him  and  his  language,  the  divers 
tongues  of  the  Chinaman  differ  in  tlieir  charac- 
teristics. The  Mandarin  abounds  in  " /-"s,"  and, 
though  they  are  not  rolled  round  the  tongue  as  a 
Scotchman  likes  to  enunciate  them,  yet  they  arc 
not  entirely  lost  sight  of.  The  r  is  not  found  in 
the  speech  of  the  South  of  China.  The  Cantonese 
'3.S 


Diverse  Tongues 

is  a  soft  and  pleassint  speech,  while  the  Mandarin 
is  more  like  the  German  with  its  force  of  utter- 
ance, as  compared  to  the  Italian  sounds  of  the 
Cantonese.  The  Hakka  is  a  half-way  house 
between  the  Mandarin  and  the  Cantonese.  In  the 
Swatow,  nasal  sounds  are  largely  employed  ;  and 
in  the  singing  of  hymns  this  has  an  extraordinary 
effect,  as  the  voices  hush  into  a  mere  nose  or  lip 
production  of  sound.  In  Amoy  these  nasal  sounds 
also  prevail  extensively,  and  in  these  two  languages 
the  b  is  known,  though  unknown  in  the  greater 
part  of  the  southern  districts  ;  while  in  Shanghai, 
Ningpo,  and  slightly  in  the  ,Hakka,  v  is  used,  w 
taking  its  place  elsewhere.  The  tendency  of  the 
Mandarin  has  been  to  drop  the  letters  ;;,  t,  and 
k,  when  at  the  end  of  words,  with  the  result  of 
a  more  slurring  effect  in  speaking,  compared  with 
the  more  distinct  utterance  of  the  southerners. 

The  tones  give  a  musical  cadence  to  the 
language,  and  this  is  more  pronounced  in  the 
south,  where  there  are  twice,  if  not  thrice,  the 
nimiber  of  these  tones  in  use,  as  compared  with 
the  north.  Each  word  is  relegated  to  that  tone 
in  the  scheme  of  tones  to  which  it  belongs,  and 
in  which  it  must  be  spoken.  The  meaning  of 
a  word  may  vary  with  the  tone  in  which  it  is 
uttered.  A  musical  note  will  generally  explain 
much  of  what  tones  are,  tliough  there  are  other 
factors  in  their  production.  There  are  level- 
oustained  tones,  dying-away  tones,  rising  tones, 
falling  tones,  abrupt  tones,  long  tones,  and  short 
136 


Tones  and  Accents 

tones  ;    in  addition  there  are  also  crescendo  and 
diminuendo  effects. 

It  would  be  very  interesting  to  know  why  there 
are  all  these  different  sets  of  tones,  perhaps  some 
hundreds  of  them,  differing  more  or  less,  used  over 
China,  and  why  more  tones  are  used  in  some  parts 
than  m  others.  One  language  in  China  will  be 
content  with  five  or  six  tones  while  another  will 
not  stop  short  of  fifteen  or  sixteen.  It  may  be 
possible  that  all  languages  were  tonic  originally  • 
some  are  inclined  to  think  that  this  was  the  case' 
The  language  of  all  babies  the  world  over  is  tonic  '■ 
for  an  infant  when  learning  to  speak  always  says 
the  words  he  learns  m  the  same  tone  he  has  learned 

tZ '%""  t"  ^'^'  *"'  ^'"°""-"P  P'^°P'«.  e'^cept 
;''%Far  East,   have  discarded  tones.     Accent 

in  English  IS  not  tone,  though  accent  in  English 

can  often  be  used  to  represent  Chinese  tones.     The 

Lhinese  employ  accent  as  well. 

One  tonic  system,  it  will  be  gathered  from  the 
above,   does  not  suffice  for  the  whole  of  China 
with  Its  numerous  different  languages  and  speeches! 
So  after  one  has  learned  the  words  in  one  language 
of  Chmese,  and  how  to  pronounce  them  aright 
and  the  correct  tone,  the  foreigner  or  native,   if 
he  takes  up  the  study  of  another  Chinese  language 
has  to  learn  different  tones  for  his  new  language' 
as  well  as  learn  new  words,  new  idioms,  and  new 
accents.      Again,    a   word   may   have    besides    its 
primary   tone  a   secondary  or  variant   tone,   only 
to  be  used  in  certain  combinations,  or  to  express 
137 


IP 


,i.:( 


^smxw.anav  -rtKitmA^ 


?'■ 


I  f  ■ 

i 


i 


Diverse  Tongues 

dilTerent  meanings  from  what  the  word  in  its 
primary  tone  stands  for.  This,  to  the  foreign 
student  of  the  language,  seems  confusion  worse 
confounded. 

These  variant  tones  differ  again  in  their  use 
and  application  in  the  different  languages,  and 
also  in  the  different  dialects  to  some  extent.  In 
the  Swatow,  every  word  in  each  sentence  or 
clause,  except  the  last  one  or  two,  must  change 
into  its  other,  or  variant  tone.  In  Cantonese  the 
definition  of  them  given  earlier  applies.  In 
Hankow  and  Mandarin  there  are  said  to  be  none, 
though  in  the  latter  the  author  has  reason  to  believe 
that  if  special  study  were  given,  a  discovery  of 
them  might  be  made,  as  vrell  as  their  method  of 
use. 

The  Middle  dialects,  as  they  are  called— those 
of  Shanghai  and  Ningpo— have  the  medial  vowels 
in  words  developed  into  diphthongs  to  a  larger 
extent  than  elsewhere. 

All  the  languages  in  China  agree  in  the 
elimination  of  superfluous  words  in  a  sentence,  as 
regarded  from  the  Chinese  standpoint,  to  the  utter 
confusion  of  the  European  learner  or  speaker.  In 
a  few  instances  in  English  we  do  condescend  to 
a  very  simple  style  of  speaking— a  style  which  the 
Chinese  use  to  a  very  large  extent.  For  instance, 
we  say  simply,  "  Come,"  when  we  mean  "  Come 
here,"  or  "  Come  to  me."  The  Chinese  says  in 
this  same  way,  to  cite  one  example,  keeoo,  or 
keeoo  loh,  when  the  loh  means  nothing  translat- 
138 


m^i^^^'im^m^' 


Calculated  Brevity 

able  into  Engrlish,  but  show,  that  a  precise  slate- 
^rd,  and  that  means  simply  ••  called,"  but  ,he 
wS  T   '°    u    "   ■'  ''  ^•*'''-'^''='»  understands 

IS  left  out  m  a  sentenro  when  it  is  perfectly  well 
understood  what  is  referred  In  v  "'"'y/<=" 
*Qf>,»-      -.1.  rcierrea  to.     For  example,  a 

father  w.th  us,  seeing  his  child  not  eating  his 
porndge  at  breakfast,  might  say  to  him,  "Are 
you  not  eatmg  it?"  but  a  Chinese  father  in  a 
similar  case  would  only  say,  -You  not  eating?" 
rhe  u  ,s  muierstood,  and  is  not  used,  unle„ 
here  s  a  particular  necessity  to  call  attention 
thin^.     ""'    """^    '"    contradistinction    to    other 

This  pnnciple  runs  through  the  whole  language 
The  Chmese  prefers  to  save  hts  breath  and  lords' 
n  Chmese,  a^am,  there  are  practically  no  moods, 
tenses,   numbers    or   persons,    if   looked   at   from 
the  standpomt  of  a  European  language.     Of  course 
there   are   means   of   showing   these,    when    it    is 
necessary-necessary,    that    is    to    say,    from    the 
Chmese  pomt  of  view,  which  is  very  different  from 
our  concepfon  of  what  is  necessary  in  languag^ 
There  ,s  thus  a  terseness  and  a  simplicity  TtTe 
language     which   tend   to   its    beauty,   and,    when 
a^^tennon  IS  paid  to  the  context,  the  confusion  which 
might    otherwise    arise    is    avoided.      A    logical 
sequence  is  often  apparent  in  the  dependence  o 
the  sentences,  which  is  lost  sight  of  in  the  com- 
139 


■k 


Diverse  Tongues 

plexity  of  our  Western  sentences,  burdened  as  they 
are  also  with  all  the  intricacies  of  moods,  and  the 
incidental  prepositions  and  conjunctions,  omitted 
in  Chinese  to  a  large  extent. 

John    Chinaman    is    again    a    survival    of    the 
Middle  Ages  in  the  manner  of  using  his  tongue. 
He  clings  to  the  past,  and  this  style,  as  far  as  the 
language  is  concerned,  is  based  on,  nay  is  identical 
with,  that  of  hundreds  or  even  thousands  of  years 
ago.    If  it  can  be  supposed  that  every  book  written 
in    England    were    written    in    the    language    of 
Chaucer    or    Piers    Plowman,    some    idea    might 
be   got   of   how  the   book-language   differs   from 
the  common  speech.     If  we  remember  the  feeling 
of  our  forefathers,  when  it  was  proposed  to  put 
the   Bible   into  English   which   would  be   under- 
stood by  every  one,  and  recall  how  at  that  time 
our  own  language  was  considered  to  be  too  low 
and    vulgar    to    be    used    for    books— then    some 
idea  of  the  attitude  of  Chinese  scholars  towards 
their    own    beautiful    spoken    language    may    be 
understood. 

So  accustomed  have  they  become  to  the  well- 
balanced  periods  of  the  written  language,  so 
entranced  are  they  with  its  beauties,  so  immersed 
have  they  become  in  the  overflowing  floods  of  their 
literature,  that  what  is  difficult  for  the  men  or 
women  who  are  not  the  bookworms  they  are  is 
simplicity  to  them.  Moreover,  they  imbue  those 
they  instruct  with  their  own  views,  so  that  not 
only  do  their  own  people  follow  in  their  steps, 
140 


Letters  and  Learners 

tt"'.!!™  rrr* "'"' ""  *" '-"  ""-^y  -^^  them 

mht!      u  '«"8«age,  affects   their   ways  and 

^^   'her  opinions,    to   the   detriment 'of  1^, 

o'^SerTch-  ^\ ''  '""'  "^PP-'  'hat  a 
~Zr^  ^  f f'*  languag-e-the  book-language 
caL   of    he   f      •  °"'  ''"""''^^  'he  other,   i^  the 

Ch™:   r"'ma«er"rd°V^    ""'"'"^^    « 
.    lur  JO  master  the  dead  language  of  th». 

books  ,s  a  task  often  beyond  the  pf^for  time 

allowed   the   poor   boy.      Most  of   the   books  ^e 

locked  up  m  this  dead  speech,  and   beyond  fhe 

reach  of  the  full  comprehension  of  those  who  hive 

-r^^o:frr^r:^.hrr:s^? 
:rhr  mat;-^^''^--'^' --«L^ 

The  number  of  the  educated  and  of  the  illiterate 
or  of  the  partly  educated,  differs  widely  in  dEm 
parts  ^the  land  and  in  town  and  country     "^^ 
the  labouring  classes,  who  may  be  eam^g  on^ 
a  bare  subsistence,    the   boys   either   g™  withom 
leammg  to  read,  or,  if  it  be  possible  to  send    h^l 
to  school    their  schooling  eL  Jhen    Sy  ^ 
received  but  a  smattering.     If  a  v^r  n.* 
school  does  little  for  an  InglLh  Jy  "h^  e  tok" 
are  written  in  almost  a  colloquial  stykit^ 
be  estimated  how  very  much  Ls  th7y  do  /oH 
»4i 


Diverse  Tongues 

Chinese  youth,  whose  books  are  to  him  so  difficult. 
It  is  as  if  an  English  infant  class  were  taught  to 
read  English  from  the  first  four  Books  of  Euclid. 
Fortunately  there  are  indications  of  a  widespread 
change  taking  place.  The  new  school  books  are 
now  modelled  on  the  plan  of  the  Western  school 
books,  and  in  time  the  language  employed  will 
doubtless  be  still  more  simplified.  Further,  the 
new  movements  in  China  are  awakening  the  people 
to  the  use  of  the  living  tongue,  and  as  a  result 
one  or  two  of  the  newspapers  are  employing  it  to 
a  slight  extent. 

The  foreign  element  does  not  appear  so  largely 
in  Chinese  as  in  our  own  language.  Buddhism 
with  its  idolatry  is  perhaps  responsible  for  the 
largest  imported  portion.  The  genius  of  the 
Chinese  language,  a  little  like  the  German  in  this 
respect,  is  to  assimilate  the  new  idea,  and  clothe 
it  in  some  expressive  term  in  their  own  language. 
Thus  a  steamer  is  a  "  fire-ship." 

Notwithstanding  this,  those  who  have  delved 
amongst  its  different  languages  or  dialects  with 
this  object  in  view,  have  discovered  after  all  not 
a  few  foreign  imported  words.  One  language  or 
another  has  contributed  a  word  or  two  or  more  as 
the  case  may  be.  As  an  illustration  we  iliay 
mstance  the  word  toto,  in  use  in  the  Macao  dialect 
and  derived  from  the  Portuguese,  who  have  been 
domiciled  in  Macao  for  more  than  three  centuries 
Other  words  are  more  diflicult  to  trace,  and  require 
some  ingenuity  at  times  to  fix  on  their  origin  and 
143 


Borrowed  Words 


source.     The  Arabic   original  is  seen   in   apten 
for  opmn,.     I„  Amoy  satpan  is  used  for  ...ap    an 
.mpor,ed  article  in  China  originally,  though  t'hej 
are  now  beginning  to  manufacture  it  for  "hem 
selves.    This  last  word  is  derived  from  th  eSpS' 


.If, 


M3 


■i^.  lilll 


■  HA^, 


T'    jfilfSl 


MKiocorr  nsoiuTioN  tbt  chait 

(ANSI  and  ISO  TEST  CHART  No.  2) 


1  1.0 

|2J 

II 

m  m 

|M 

:stii 

1=^ 

•lUtt 

|Z0 
■  ■■8 

II 

1.6 


/APPLIED  MA3B    Inc 

1653  Eo*t  Uain  StfMt 

Rochistar.   Htm   rork         14609        USA 

(716)   ♦82  -OJOO-  Phon« 

(716)  286-  5989  -Fa. 


CHAPTER   XII 

The  Drug:    Foreign  Dirt 

MUCH  strong  language  has  been  used  on  both 
sides    in   regard   to   the   opium   question; 
but  the  Chinese  themselves  have  but  one  opinion 

en  it. 

I 

As  for  the  foreigner  in  China,  many  have  ex- 
pressed the  strongest  opinions,  when  their  ignor- 
ance on  the  subject  was  only  commensurate  with 
the  strength  of  their  statements.     Some  of  these 
who  are  not  qualified  to  form  a  judgment  at  all 
on  the  subject  not  only  give  voice  to  their  views 
ex  catMdrd,  but  stigmatise  as  fanatics  all  who 
hold  an   opposite   view  to   their   own.     But  the 
matter  is  now  passing  out  of  range  of  discussion 
by    the    non-Chinese;    for    the    whole    nation   is 
expressing  in  no  measured  terms  its  decision  on 
the  question.     This  attitude  of  the  Chinese— not 
taken  up  by  the  Government  alone,  but  by  the 
people  as  well  as  by  the  ruling  powers— is  one  of 
the  most  hopeful  signs  in  the  advance  of  China. 
The  opium  habit  is  of  but  recent  origin.    There 
is  nothing  to  show  that  the  juice  of  the  poppy 
144 


3*'m 


A  Modern  Vice 

was  valued  in  China  for  anything  but  its  medicinal 
propert.es  a  couple  of  hundred  years  ago.  In  fact, 
he  proof  .s  all  the  other  way.  It  cannot  be 
supposed  for  a  moment  that,  had  the  vice  been 
one  known  in  this  Und  before  its  introduction  from 
abroad,  .t  would  not  have  been  mentioned  by 
Chinese  writers.  There  is  besides  a  perfect  silence 
on  the  matter  by  medieval  travellers  who  visited 
the  Far  Orient,  for  the  simple  reason  that  there 
was  a  complete  absence  of  material  in  that  co,.- 
nection  to  write  on.  Had  it  been  largely  in  use 
doubtless  the  Roman  Catholic  missionaries  would 
have  had  something  to  say  about  it 

Chinese  Herbal  two  centuries   ago,   says   it  was 
formerly  but  little  known,"  and  his  description  of 
It      leads  to  the  inference  that  it  was  then  used 
m  medicme. 

tr^^/T  ?^  Portuguese  who  mostly  engaged  in  the 
rade  at  first,  and  its  importation  only  reached  a 
housand  chests  m  .767.  Six  years  later  the  East 
India  Company  "made  a  small  adventure"  in  it 
and  seven  years  later  "  a  depot  of  two  small  vessels 
was  estab  ished  by  the  English."  A  cargo  of  ,,600 

venf  f^'"  ?"^  °f  ''^^  °ld  Hong  merchants 
eventually  found  its  way  to  the  Eastern  Archi- 
peUgo,  as  the  traders  could  not  command  a 
sufficient  price  in  China.  In  ,79,  opium  was 
imported  "under  the  head  of  medicine."  The 
Chinese  authorities  began  to  complain  in  170.  ■ 
and  then  started  the  long  opposition  against  its 
'45 


%^\ 


The  Drug:  Foreign  Dirt 

introduction,  stultified  to  a  large  extent  by  the 
readiness  of  those  in  authority  to  accept  bribes 
and  close  their  eyes  to  its  smuggling,  while  our 
own  countrymen,  overpowered  by  the  desire  to 
make  fortunes  and  retire  to  a  life  of  ease  in 
England  cr  America,  connived  at  it,  and  fostered 
the  trade  carried  on  by  smuggling. 

It  seems  strange  that  greed  should  so  close  the 
eyes  of  respected  and  otherwise  honourable  men  to 
the  nefariousness  of  engaging  in  such  an  underhand 
trade       Unfortunately,    th^    Chinese    Government 
officials    objected    to    all    trade    with    the    hated 
foreigner,  and  this  may  have  helped  to  gloss  over 
the  iniquity  of  the  particular  trade.     It  is  a  sad 
spectacle  "  of  power,  habit,  skill,  and  money  all 
combinmg   to   weaken  and  overpower   the  feeble 
desultory    resistance    of    a    pagan    and    ignorant 
people  agamst  the  progress  of  what  they  knew  was 
destroying  them.     The  finality  of  such  a  struggle 
could  hardly  be  doubted,  and  when  the  tariff  of 
1858  allowed  opium  to  enter  by  the  payment  of 
a   duty,   the   already   enfeebled   moral    resistance 
seemed    to    die   out    with   the   extinction    of    the 
smuggling  trade  in  opium."  ■ 

With  the  ennobling  power  of  a  Christian  civilisa- 
tion infused  into  her  veins,  it  is  to  be  hoped  that 
China,  now  that  she  has  roused  herself,  will  not 
rest  content  till  the  good  work  she  has  commenced 
be  carried  to  a  glorious  issue,  and  the  youth  of 
that  country  be  saved  from  the  debilitating  effects 
'  Williams,  i;  p.  380. 
146 


II 


The  Smoker's  Struggle 

such  are  not  its  .ffl^f'  ^  ''^°  ^'S"«  that 

the  inner  Z  "the 'Chinee  '^"'""^  '~"'  °^ 

an J'itrsefa  "^l^ ^'^^  "^«  -- 
who  acknowledges  that  he  Ts/^"""""''"^""' 
smoked  for  years    thi-  '"°''"'  ^"'^  has 

is  life  and  death  to  hL        I  ^  ''"'^f  that 

entirely  he  is  !tl  ^         '  *"''  *'«  ""^^^re  how 

:=yTwho«^^~^   ""^P^^     ht 

a.ar..!:;.^otdVhrh^^f:!:7'o?^^^^ 

can^n  ,,thelieTLh^rafhrs°^^^^^ 

W  th..  heV  r;L;^J™°".  -  cloes  he 
him  not  to  exceed  tl  da^albl  n^eTlL't  '." 
upon  as  the  utmost  limit  he  darrv^ture  t'  h' 
does  not  reali«;p   «,!,,»  venture  on.     He 

the  fi.ht  n:fro  h:  :ercotTn'V%"°'"^  °"  '" 
and  that  his  employeeTs  sZV  °""^  S^"""^' 

to  hold  his  oL^iitrr^ruE'v^" 

agamst  him.     The  victim  tr;      f  *''^"n«&  force 

against   the   inroads   of   ,h  °  ^""''^  ''™^«« 

mroads   of   the   unsatisfied   and  un- 

'47 


^^'•j 


.Mil 


i|! 


The  Drug:  Foreign  Dirt 

satisfying  drug,  attempting  to  hold  the  craving 
in  check,  and  trying  to  build  up  his  frame  by  tonic 
and  strengthening  foods.  Even  if  he  be  a  man 
of  iron  will,  the  ,  -ibat  is  slowly  telling  against 
him,  and  any  traces  of  its  effects  observed  on  his 
face  are  put  down  to  ill-health. 

The  opium-sot  (save  when  his  wealth  has  been 
sufficiently  large  to  enable  him  to  maintain  the 
drain  on  his  resources)  gradually  sinks  in  the  social 
scale,  unless  friends  or  relatiyes  support  him.  His 
vice  has  unfitted  him  for  toil,  as  half,  or  more,  of 
the  night  spent  in  smoking  does  not  prepare  for 
a  day  of  work.  He  rises  at  noon,  enfeebled  and 
unfit  for  any  exertion  till  "  a  hair  of  the  dog  that 
bit  him  "  causes  his  exhausted  energies  to  flicker 
up  for  a  brief  period.  Often  without  the  means 
to  procure  sufficient  food  and  clothing,  he  is  a 
pitiable  object  to  all,  and  is  called  an  opivai- 
devil  by  his  own  countrymen.  Such  a  man  is 
not  likely  to  remain  in  the  busy  centres  of  com- 
merce, such  as  Hong  Kong  or  Shanghai.  He 
naturally  gravitates  to  his  home  in  the  country, 
where  he  may  obtain  some  assistance  from 
friends.  He  slinks  away  from  observation,  and  at 
last  sinks  into  a  dishonoured  grave. 

The  so-called  opium  wars,  it  must  in  justice 
be  said,  would,  with  the  arrogance  of  the  man- 
darins and  the  determination  of  the  English  to 
trade,  have  taken  place— opium  or  no  opium— 
sooner  or  later.  Opium  was  not  the  sole,  though 
it  was  a  great  contributory,  reason  for  them. 
148 


A  Mistaken  Policy 


the^En^^r^"',  "'''"*  •'"'^^  '^'^  «J™S'   hated 
tne   inglishman   for    brineinB^   if    tr,    Ki-T    u 

and  much  of  the  iU-fee^  "Ust  °he  forei^^^^^^ 

was  due  to  the  trade.     For  the  Chinaman  relZed 

no  one  could  be  good  who  sold  such  a  poison, 

to  the  rum  of  his  countrymen. 

Par^t^s'lnn'r'^'J'*'''  '"""  "«"  '"'°  ">«  hands  of 
Parsees  and  Indians,  and  Englishmen  in  the  Far 

and  do!rr.'  '^^  ""■■'  '^"'"'  '°  China  and  up 
and  down  the  coast,  though  in  India  the  Govern 
ment   fostered   its   growth,   and   derived   a  large 
fi  f ;«    «-«"««    by    its    cultivation.      The 

financal  difficulty  has   heen  the  stumbling-block 
to  Its  abohtion;  and  it  is  this  consideration  which 

oir'"^"'"  u^  '""  "■"'^  ^««»  consumption  of 
S  ,1  *'•'"  ""^  ^'•*""«  themselves  are 
waning  to  lose  money  by  its  cessation,  and  to 
s^.bscr.be  to  further  its  extinction,  th  s  singe 
feet  J   a  guarantee  of   their  good   faith   in   tt 

The  average  foreign  resident  in  China  has 
grown  suspicious  of  the  Chinese  attitude  on  the 
quesfo.,  owing  to  the  Chinese  line  of  action  in 

when  the  Chmese  Government  fostered  the  ex- 
ten  rd  growth  of  native  opium  in  the  Empire  itsef 
(ti'l  nearly  every  province  grew  it)  with  thl 
ostensiWe  (as  he  considered  it  merelv  to  be)  obj  « 

ish;;\!'c^^'^.~"="™P'-°"-     This  Lom 
Pl'shed,  the  Chmese  Government  said  they  could 

»49  L 


Hi 


.  1 

t^ 

t- 

r 

f 

i)  i 

1 

Jt 

The  Drug:  Foreign  Dirt 


/ 

thus 


easily    prohibit    the    native    growth,    and 
extinguish  the  whole  trade  and  evil. 

There  is  now.  however,  no  reason  to  doubt  the 
Chinese  bona  fides.     Tlie  whole  "»''""  -.%7'«f' 
or  rousing  itself  against  it;  it  is  not  official  act  on 
only  that  is  being  taken.    Though  sn>okmg  officmls 
may  be  here  and  there  lax-and  .t  is  weU-mgh 
imp'ossible  to  have  laws  obeyed  at  once  through- 
out the  length  and  breadth  of  such  an  .mmen  e 
Oriental  empire-yet  degradation  and  even  death 
have  resulted  to  some  of  the  smoking  n'««»"'"*^ 
Given  time,  there  is  little  do|.bt  «hat  the  whole 
Empire  will  respond  to  the  lead  of  the  bette^ 
minded  of  its  people  and  the  mandates  of  those 
to  authority.    China  is  being  stirred  to  her  depth 
in  this  crusade  against  this  potent  evil:  she  fwls 
she  must  do.  or  die.     Her  position  was  in  the 
van  of  the  Eastern  world   (the  whole  world,  as 
far  as  the  East  was  concerned;  for  many  centuries. 
She    was    the    leader    of    the    world's    progress- 
civilisation,  letters,  light,  and  knowledge,  all  these 
emanated  from  her.  . 

But  as  the  West  came  into  her  purview  of  late 
years,  she  has  found  that  she  was  deposed  frcrn. 
her  exalted  position.     Though  blindly    arrogantly 

stubbornly  trying  to  '"'•d  t°  J''^  P*^.*' f "  ° "m 
herself  unable  to  cope  with  the  despised  Westem 
barbarian.  Bits  of  her  territory  were  ^'P^^  fr°m 
her  by  different  foreign  nations  all  down  her  coast 
line,  while  an  immense  territory  was  taken  m  the 
north.  This  she  resolved  should  not  go  on. 
»5° 


Repentance 

In  her  time  of  abasement,  an  insignificant  island 
Itmgdom,    whose    inhabitants    she    loolced    down 
upon  as  little  monkeys-a  people  who  had  learned 
much  m  the  past  from  her,   but  after  being  her 
pupils  had  eagerly  imbibed  knowledge  from  the 
West-this  people,   strengthened  by  the  Christian 
civilisation  of  the  West  grafted  on  to  the  valour 
of  a  sea-bound  nation,  had  blocked  the  waves  of 
aggression  from  the  West,  and  withstood  boldly 
the   advance    of   an   absorbing    power,    beating   a 
Western   foe  back.     This   little  insignificant   ra.  e 
set  Its  face  against  opium,  and  forbade  its  use, 
determined  to  exterminate  it,  even  in  Formosa,  by 
repressive  measures.    All  this  was  an  object-lesson 
to  the  Chinese.     They  had  at  the  same  time  been 
prepared    by    a    century    of    missionary    labour 
amongst  them,  which,  while  it  instructed  them  in 
the  tenets  of  Christianity,  spread   broadcast  over 
the    land    modem    knowledge    and    science    in 
the    thousands    of    books    issued    by    the    various 
Religious  Tract  Societies  together  with  the  mission 
presses. 

It  is  a  grand  and  noble  spectacle  to  see  a  once 
effete  Eastern  nation  shaking  the  dust  of  abasement 
Ifom  her  feet  and  rising  with  new  vigour,  born 
of  the  day  of  enlightenment,  to  again  take  her 
place  amongst  the  comity  of  nations  of  God's 
glorious   world. 

A  Nemesis  threatens  the  foreigner  who  has 
introduced  the  baleful  drug  in  such  large  quan- 
tities into  China,  for  it  appears  that  not  a  few 


iM 


p . 

i 

i^ 

:  -i ! 

d 


The  Drug:  Foreign  Dirt 

Americans  have  learned  to  take  it  from  the  Chinesf 
smokers  resident  amongst  them.  A  fear  of  its 
effects  on  their  own  people  both  at  home  and 
abroad  in  the  Philippines  resulted  in  the  initiation 
of  the  international  opiam  convention  in  Shanghai. 
Its  actions  and  resolutions  will  no  doubt  strengthen 
the  crusade  against  opium-smoking  ?nd  its  sister 
vice,   the  hypodermic   injection  of  morphia. 

It  would  seem  lo  the  ordinary  individual  that  the 
past  attempts  to  discount  \fy  elaborate  treatises  on 
the  chemical  constituents  of  the  smoke,  &c.,  the 
evil  effects  of  the  smoking  of  opiui.i,  are  if  little 
practical  value  to  those  who  try  to  argue  that 
opium-smoking  is  harmless.  For  one  sees  that 
the  opium-smoker  can  have  his  cravings  satisfied 
with  morphia  injected  into  his  system  or  taken 
in  pills,  by  the  dross  of  smoked  opium,  and  even 
the  ashes  of  the  drug  taken  in  water. 

"  Opiui.!  imparts  no  benefit  to  the  smoker, 
impairs  his  bodily  vigour,  beclouds  his  mind,  and 
unfits  him  for  his  station  in  society  ;  he  is  miserable 
without  it,  and  a*  last  dies  by  what  he  lives  upon." 
It  is  like  ••  raising  the  wick  of  a  lamp,  which,  while 
it  increases  the  blaze,  hastens  the  exhaustion  of 
the  oil  a.id  the  extinction  of  the  light."  "  When 
the  smoking  commences,  the  man  becomes 
loquacious,  and  breaks  out  into  boisterous,  silly 
merriment,  which  gradually  changes  to  a  vacant 
paleness  and  shrinking  of  the  features,  as  the 
quantity"  smoked  "increases  and  the  narcotic  acts. 
A  deep  sleep  supervenes,  from  half  an  hour  to 
15a 


The  Smoker's  Limit 


.hi.     1  •«="'«"'^n-     «o  refreshment  is  felt  from 

o  h  r/bit'^;:"  ""=  '""•'■:  "'•^  '^<^°- « ^'S 

of  the  hnH         .     """"="al  Sinking  Of  the  powers 

.Tr  ,?"■■  •?  »^"  ."Sirs 

ano  wan  as  ^lear  the  precipice  as  they  can  whhn.J 

S"^rhn;rs:^,r. '•^-''^'^^"- 

daii.  and  take  it  aT::':^:"  fLT a.".  r£ 
he  stoniach  may  not  be  so  much  weakened."  Such 
an  one  can  seldom  exceed  a  mace  weight  or 
abou.  as  much  of  prepared  oj.ium  as  wi!!  bi^^'ce  " 
a  franc  p.ece  ;  "  this  quar.tity  will  m  t^^Clls 
Two  mace  weight  taken  daily  :.  consider^H 
■mmoderate   dose,    which   few   r,.;  T-   1'     '" 

Sott'^d^   ^"'^  ''-t  ^'°  --'-i<^  Of  1^ 
o  exceed  1  macT'^  7  "  "''""^'^"  ^"'^^-"^  "ot 

c..;^pst^^-^---^o^ 

sp.ru„  .hough  most  of  even  th'ese  mod/ral" 'Ikers 
'53 


The  Drug:  Foreign  Dirt 

are  so  much  the  slaves  of  the  habit  that  they  feel 
too  wretched,  nerveless,  and  imbecile  to  go  on 
with  their  business  without  the  stimulus."  ' 

••  An     insupportable     languor    throughout    the 
whole  frame  "  is  the  continual  legacy  of  the  opium- 
smolccr,  and  he  is  in  utter  misery  when  the  usual 
times  for  taking  the  drug  arrive  if  he  cannot  obtain 
it  on  the  instant.    He  is  restless,  wretched,  and  the 
craving  completely  unnerves  and  overpowers  him. 
The    author's    experience,,    with  witnesses  in  the 
witness-box,  for  more  than  a  score  of  years,  led 
him  to  detest  the  sight  of  a  heavy  opium-smoker, 
prepared,  or  rather  unprepared,  to  give  evidence 
in  English  courts  of  justice.     Under  such  circum- 
stances, the  greatest  difficulty  was  experienced  in 
the  attempt  to  obtain  statements  that  were  clear, 
lucid,  and  truthful.     The  guile  of  the  devil  mixed 
with  the  slyness  of  an  impair»d  r   ..d,  which,  in 
abject  fear  of  giving  away  :  is  case,  caused  the 
drug-taker  to  prevaricate  and  contradict  himself, 
thus  rendering  it  difficult  to  obtain  a  succinct  and 
clear  account  of  any  intricate  and  involved  action. 
An  opium-smoker  is  not  a  rampant  ruffian,  as  the 
drunkard  is  when  under  the  effects  of  his  potations. 
He  does  not  murder  his  wife ;    but  he  kills  her  by 
slow  degrees,  or  pawns  or  sells  her.     He  does  not 
go  reeling  through  the  streets,  a  danger  to  himself 
and  others  ;   but  the  effects  of  his  vice  are  as  bad, 
if  not  worse,  in  the  long  run. 

Statistics  which  try  to  prove  that  the  number 
■  Williams,  ii.  pp.  38^.  383- 
154 


Statintics  Unreliable 

of  confirmed  smoken  is  less  than  what  is  generally 
well  known  to  be  the  case,  based  on  a  certain 
consumption  by  the  individual  s  .ker.  are  founded 
on  assumptions,  and  ignore  a  number  of  factors. 
It  IS  not  a  certain  fixed  quantity  of  the  drug  taken 
by  an  individual  which  should  form  the  basis  of 
calculation;  for  it  ■  a  well-known  fact  to  any 
one  acquainted  with  n.edicines  that  different  con- 
stitutions are  differently  affected  by  drugs-  some 
persons  are  easily  inlluenced  by  doses  that  would 
have  little  effect  on  others.  Let  us  take  what  is 
more  patent  to  most  persons.  iow  ridiculous 
It  would  seem  to  fix  on  a  certaii  .mount  of  beer 
and  then  divide  the  consumption  of  beer  in  the 
country  by  this  quantity,  and  say  that  such  a  p-t- 
centage  of  English  were  habitual  drunkards  I  '  - 
man  is  drunk  with  an  amount  that  would  not  ah  ' 
anothei-  man's  brains ;  one  man  can  habitually  take 
a  number  of  glasses  a  day  which  would  com- 
pletely upset  another. 

To  be  reckoned  in  the  question  as  factors  are 
the  physique  of  the  smokers,  and  the  financial 
position  of  those  who  indulge  this  expensive  vice 
Another  element  that  must  be  taken  into  considera- 
tion is  that  the  drug  has  less  power  on  one  who 
IS  well  nourished  and  who  has  ample  means  to 
buy  food  to  sustain  his  body  against  the  inroads 
of  the  drug. 

To   be  perfectly  sure  of  the  percentage  in  a 
given  population,  a  census  would  be  re(,uired  and 
as  that  at  present  is  well-nigh  impossible,  estiiiiates 
155 


'■  :i 


The  Drug:  Foreign  Dirt 

made  by  those  who  are  well  qualified  to  judge 
are  the  most  reliable  means  of  ascertaining  the 
number,  mstead  of  procuring  statistics  to  bolster 
up  preconceived  notions  on  the  subject  No 
Chmaman,  unless  he  is  directly  interested  in  mini- 
mismg  the  results  of  opium-smoking,  will  give  such 
a  low  estimate  as  has  been  furnished  from  foreign 
soiirces,  to  attempt  to  show  that  the  drug  is  not  so 
bad  m  Its  effects  as  the  people  themselves  and 
those  who  have  lived  amongst  them  know  to  be 
the  case. 

But,  after  all,  suppose  (hat  statistics-which  can 
prove  anything  required-are  reliable,  even  when 
the  advocates  of  the  non-abolition  of  opium  have 
reduced  them  to  such  low  figures  as  they  delight 
to  do-^ven  I  per  cent,  to  which  scarce  one  has 
yet  had  the  temerity  to  bring  them  down-even 
I  per  cent,  of  confirmed  opium-smokers  in  China 
would  make  a  total  of  4,260,000,  the  population 
of  a  small  state  in  Europe  (nearly  the  population 
of  Norway  and  Sweden),  and  roughly  a  tenth  of 
the  population  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland      Is 
such  a  numiber  not  appalUng  enough  to  all  who 
really  know  wlat  a  confirmed  opium-smoker  is  ? 
But  some  sta.istics  are  so  manipulated  as  to  give 
us    double   this   number,    viz.,    8,520,000.      Even 
then  this  IS  not  the  very  darkest  siiade  of  a  picture 
so  dark  that  no  ray  of  hope  illumines  it.    For  this 
state  of  confirmed  opium -smoking,  to  which  the 
majority  of  those  who  indulge  in  opium  in  China 
are  surely  tending,  represents  but  a  small  propor- 
'56 


Mil 


A  Nucleus  of  Sots 


opium  sots  are  theT^inn  ""u  ""'  ""'^'^"''  °f 
starting  on  a  dow^wa^^  "'"  ""^  "''  ^'  ^  ™H 
'najority  there  Tlo  '""el?  'T  "''*^''  *°  ""e 
direful,  if  possible,  is  theTa^  f  •  ^"^  "'"  «°^« 
are  dragged  dowA  in  n  ""^^  °^  *°=e  who 

indmgencf  oftrer  or  sor'^.'"''  ™"  "^  *"« 
tiv^the  poor  wE  thf  '  T  '"'^''^'^'  °^  «'-- 
broken-hearted  Srs  tn        ?^  '^''"'''«"'   ^^e 

rest  Who  are  '£ZV  a^^^^Te^'  ^'  ^"  '"^ 
degree.  "    *    greater    or    lesser 

ablfto^u'irthJnThf"-?'^  -^o  -e  better 
the  cancel  i„'thSrlod;3S:„fT'^^^  ^^  '° 
scarcely  determine  to  overthrol  "h  ?""  "''""''^ 
habit,  were  it  of  such  inSX  '"  ^'"^  '^^^'"y 
attempt  to  make  ou"      '""^""^"""^^  ^s  apologists 


U 


ii  . 


«S7 


■irfr!^- 


CHAPTER   XIII 

What  John  Chinaman  Eats  and 
Drinks 

To  begin  with,  John  Chinaman's  diet  is  not 
rats  and  cats  and  mice  and  puppy-dog 
bones,  though  more  of  these  may  be  consumed 
within  the  confines  of  the  vast  Empire  than  in 
other  parts  of  the  earth's  dominions.  He  might 
retort  that  the  exclusive  diet  of  the  Englishman 
was  jugged  hare  and  blood.  He  does  not  live, 
like  the  Englishman,  on  bacon  and  eggs,  or  like 
the  American,  on  pork  and  beans,  or  like  the 
Frenchman,  on  pot  au  feu  or  bouillon,  or  like  the 
German,  on  raw  beefsteak  and  sauerkaut,  or  like 
the  Italian,  on  macaroni.  Pork  and  salt  fish  and 
rice  and  vegetables— at  all  events  in  the  south- 
are  his  chief  dishes  ;  whilst  sharks*  fins  and  the 
gelatinous  birds'  nests  are  the  turtle-soup  and 
venison  of  the  gourmand. 

Each   nation  has   its  own  conception  of  what 
constitutes   a  meal.     John  Bull  likes   solid  sub- 
stances, rashers  of  bacon  with  eggs,  or  big  joints 
that  he  can  see,  and  off  which  he  can  cut  juicy 
158 


SHANGHAI  :   FOKEIG.V    MARKET. 


m  i. 


EATING    RICE. 


The  Staple  Food 


shew  and  come  again  to,  and  yet  again,  to  stay 
his  hearty  appetite.  Jacques  Bonhomme  likes 
damty  httle  morsels  dished  up  in  a  tasty  manner, 

eniov,%  T  '^  ""'■  ""  ""■  ^"'^«PP-=  Mencarini 
enjoys  h.s  long  strmgs  of  macaroni,  which  he  cuts 
off  at  h.s  mouth  as  he  gobbles  them  down.  Hans 
Bre.tmai.n  loads  his  tables  with  substamial  dishes. 

melt.         '"""^  ''"''  '""°'"   "^"y  J"'"'  °^ 

John  Chinaman,  for  his  part,  thinks  it  barbarous 

hke  a  butcher-knives  are  for  the  kitchen,  n^ 
the  d.nmg-roo..;    they  are  kitchen  furniture   not 

n^«  7wr/~"°'  ^'^'  ^^  ^^'^''^  in  slices  of 
roast  and  boiled,  even  when  served  d  la  Russe. 

The  substantial  portion  of  the  ordinary  meal 
consists    m   the  south,   of   bowls   of  rice,   usually 

cooked,  and  does  not  stick  to  the  next  grain      It 
■s,  when  prepared  in  this  method,  placed  in  an 
earthenware  shallow  vessel  standing  in  a  pan  of 
water,  and  a  lid  covers  it  while  cooking      The 
rule  IS  to  put  sufficient  water  into  the  vessel  con- 
taining the  rice  barely  to  cover  the  open  hand 
when  l^d  on  the  rice.     Rice  is  also  often  cooked 
n  a  shallow  earthen  pan,  in  like  manner.     With 
the  poor  man   a  mere  taste  of  fish,  fresh  or  salt, 
and  a   httle  fresh  or  salt  vegetable,   is  all  tha 
appears   on   his    humble    board.      There    is    sov 
perhaps,  and  it  may  be  bean-curd  in  some  form 
or  other,  possibly  some  salted  olives  occasionally 
'59 


What  John  Chinaman  Eats 

The  vegetables  and  fish  are  fried  in  peanut  oil 
the  taste  of  which  the  foreigner  cannot,  as  a  rule, 
stomach.  No  salt,  or  pepper,  or  mustard,  or 
vmegar  appears  on  the  table.  No  water  is  drunk 
but  some  tea  is  often  poured  into  the  bowl  from 
which  the  rice  has  been  eaten,  to  finish  up  with. 
There  is  but  the  one  course  amongst  the  lower 
classes  of  society.  The  wife  is  not  supposed,  by 
the  strict  rules  of  propriety,  to  eat  with  her 
husband  ;  but  a  family  party  surrounds  the  board 
an:ongst  the  lower  classes,  and  the  boat  peonie 
squat  down  on  their  deck  round  the  food. 

Amongst  shopkeepers  the  whole  of  the  employees 
sit  down   at   the   same  table  and  eat   together- 
master,  accountant,  shopman,  apprentice,  and  cook 
the  last  two  often  being  combined  in  one  person 
The  rice-bowls  having  been  filled  with  a  copper 
ladle  from  the  basket  or  bucket  holding  the  rice 
just    brought    in    from    the    kitchen,    the    bowls 
are  raised  to  the  mouth  in  the  left  hand  and  rested 
on  or  near  the  under-lip,   while  with   the   right 
hand  the   rice  is   shovelled  into  the   mouth   with 
the   two   chopsticks   held   parallel   to   each  other 
These   are   two  pieces   of   ivory,   bone,   wood,   or 
bamboo,  rather  longer  than  a  lead-pencil,  and  not 
quite  so  large  in  body.     They  are  held  between  the 
thumb  and  two  or  three  fingers  of  the  right  hand 
with  the  second  finger  slightly  protruding  between 
them. 

This  mode  of  grasping  them  allows  free  play  • 
for  besides  using  them  to  push  quantities  of  ric= 
i6o 


Use  of  the  Chopsticks 

this,  either '^^ransferrinelh.  °"X  "'  ^''  ^"'  '^°'' 
once  to  the  mouth    ^  ,^'  ""''"="'"  '^''^"ed  at 

the  bowi  to  bTiV-  '"r^  "  °"  "■'«  ""  i" 
in  with'  the  n^e  The"  J!  ''''"'  °'  ^''^^''^^ 
dexterous,,  used  V^^  th  "Scto^"  """'' 
rather  laree   can  h^M  ■.     J-.      "^    "   °'   ""^^t   is 

o«  it ;  thf  remLd  2  !  ^^  faid'""'"".*^  '""" 
the   rice   tor   future   use       U  ""''"'  '°P  °^ 

their  owners  can  H„  I      '    wonderful   how 

these  seeminglyruderdir'^'  '''^  ^"""^^  -"" 
now  breakiS  a  b  t^  fi  '"-adapted  implements- 

on  the  table  now  dfnoW  "^  '^^  '^°""»°"  "'^^ 

dish  of  soy/and  then  m!t°'"'  """''"'  '"  *«  ^"^H 
tion  to  the'dfsh  of  vera"!  )  '"•^1°'^  ^^P^'"' 
cient  quantity  is  tra^?,:"  J Vr  btfto^  ^"'"■ 
for  several  mouthfuls  of  rice  Snlrr  V  """^ 
are  lent  to  the  mea!  bv  thill'     ^       ^"'^  ''*""y 

utmost  Kood-huS,  ^t:  n^rr  ""'r  ^'•^ 

appropriated,  and  qua'rrlL  do  L  esuu"  %r 
process  is  continued  all  through  Vh»  ,  u  ^'"' 
one  round  the  table       U     ^  ""^^^  ''>'  ^^-^h 

I^eepn.oreorlesto%,  './.VoHeH-l  ''"''^^  '° 
these  continual  helpings  '  '^'=''  ""  ""'^'"S 

c.elVlwaTl:tist;rer'"'  ^"^^'^"^'^^  -'" 

-h.any^..r=~^^^ 

lot 


H 


What  John  Chinaman  Eats 

that  in  some  mysterious  manner,  inexplicable  to 
ordinary  mortals,  the  Chinaman  uses  his  chop- 
sticks apparently  somewhat  m  the  manner  of  the 
ghoul  in  the  Arcbian  Nights,  who  ate  her  meal, 
consisting  of  "a  few  grains  of  rice,  with  a 
toothpick." 

In  the  south,  pork  is  the  meat,  ind  so  universal 
and  constant  is  its  use  that  the  word  for  meat 
in  the  Amoy  language,  bach  (pronounced  like  the 
name  of  the  musician),  means  pork. 

It  may  be  gathered  '  ....  what  has  been  said 
that  made-up  dishes  ;..e  the  rule.  The  Chinese 
are  very  fond  of  soups  and  slops.  When  wanting 
a  snack  of  something,  a  very  common  thing  to 
take  is  a  dish  of  conga  (rice  gruel).  At  a  formal 
dinner  party,  which  generally  at  a  restaurant, 
the  food,  to  our  foreign  tastes,  seems  all  sloppy. 
Course  after  course  of  bowls  of  birds'-nest  soup, 
sharks'  fins,  quails  cut  up  in  portions,  crabs,  and 
numerous  other  dishes,  is  brought  in  singly  or 
in  sets  of  four  or  eight.  Rice  in  such  a  case 
does  not  appear  till  the  end  of  the  feast.  Porce- 
lain spoons,  of  most  primitive  shape,  are  supplied 
for  the  more  liquid  dishes,  and  wire  toy  forks  to 
lift  the  candied  fruits,  &c. 

One  feels,  after  these  grand  Chinese  dinners, 
as  if  one  had  eaten  to  repletion,  even  if  only 
a  tasting  is  taken  of  each  dish.  Long  before  the 
dinner  is  through  even  this  has  to  be  given  up  ; 
but  with  it  all  there  is  yet  an  unsatisfied  feeling 
of  wanting  what  the  Americans  would  call  "a 
163 


Table  Courtesies 

restaurant     where     such    repasts    are    held      the 

elfleavefh:'"'''  *"''  ""'"'  °"'  "^  '»"«'=^''^y  °f 

tea   inf.  J  n""  P""""  ''"  "-"^  «  ™P  of 

tea    mfused    specially    for    himsdf.      The    waiter 
write,   each  person's  name  on   trte  co  er  oTthl 

2  r^'^'r ■'■■•"'  ^"'^  -  -'^  cir^uiaL  b ; 
9^^u;^=;:ft^— -;--j: 

:^;=er:^--::r^-^^^ 

The  author  finds  a  formal  Chinese  dinner  once 
m  twenty  years  is  sufficient.     As  a  reaso^for  Xs 

oe  stated.  It  is  considered  politeness  to  nff-r 
sticf "  'V'^  '^'"^  ^  '''""  -''  oLes  LL  chop 
the  t\f'"''?^  "  °"*  '"">  °"«^  °'  'he  dishes  on 
the  table.  It  will  be  understood  that  in  the  act 
of  eatmg,  the  chopsticks,  like  our  forks,  touch 
163 


f  I) 


I. 


til  I 


What  John  Chinaman  EatB 

the  lips,  or  enter  the  mouth*  ;  so,  even  without 
this  display  of  frieidship,  each  one  of  the  tour  or 
eight  persons  at  a  table  has  dipped  his  chopsticks 
into  the  plates  of  niany  of  the  comestibles  laid 
before  him. 

At  one  of  the  few  formal  Chinese  dinners  the 
author  had  the  pleasure  to  attend,  the  host,  a  most 
estimable  and  distinguished  old  gentleman,  asked 
Iiim  to  take  a  second  helping  of  soup.  A  large 
bowl  containint  it  stood  before  the  host.  Ihere 
was  no  soup-ladle  provided;  and  the  old  gentle- 
man, to  ensure  that  we  should  get  the  full  benefit 
of  all  the  contents  of  the  soup,  stirred  it  vith  his 
own  spoon,  which  he  had  been  using  already. 
Though  others  accepted,  the  author  declined  any 
more,  .".ructations  after  the  full  meal  are  not 
restrained,  and  in  hot  weather,  coats,  waistcoats, 
and  undergarments  are  discarded,  till  the  diners 
have  sometimes  nothing  left  on  them  but  a  pair 
of  trousers. 

After  the  dinner  a  row  of  basin-stands, 
basins,  and  towels  may  stand  ready  with  hot  water 
for  each  to  wash  in,  no  finger-bowls  being  used. 
In  place  of  serviettes,  a  waiter  will  every  now 
and  then  bring  a  wet  wash-rag  wrung  out  of  hot 
water  to  wipe  over  the  face  and  hands,  which  is 
very  refreshing  on  a  hot  day. 

Some  of  the  Chinese  articles  of  diet  are  dainty 
and  nice  ;  but  an  indiscriminate  eating  of  Chinese 
food  is  upsetting  to  an  English  stomach,  ill-pre- 
pared for  this  kind  of  fiire  and  its  manner  of 
lot 


Articles  of  Pood 


.5  need  .?f        "^  '^'^''^''^  ''"»>  «=   ^^  »^e.   no 
needful  care  exercised  ,o  ensure  purhy  a,    ood- 

'■  .-,  John  Chmaman  „  a  born  cook,  and  can  easily 
prepare  his  meals  to  hi,  own  taste  and  those  of 
h.s  comrades.     The   youngest   lad   in   a   shop  t 

the  hungry  boy  or  man. 

No  mutton  is  eaten  in  ;he  south,  as  sheep  do 
not  thrive  in  that  part  of  China.  A  little  goat- 
flesh  IS  consumed,  and  some  beef;  venison  L 
xposed  for  sale  in  a  few  shops  ;  but  ^ork  Jd 
fish  are  the  staple  articles  of  diet.  Of  the  la^er 
there  ,s  an  almost  endless  variety 

Vegetarians  abound  in  China,  fr,  m  religious  and 

tTrg'r?„r°'':"-  """^  ^"P"'^  °^  -^"ables 
Jams  Id  ,  ""  °"''  """'P'''"^'  *'^'^^'  I»'«°es, 
aZnds  '"°    =*"    ""^'^    "-^'     *hile    frui; 

Rats  are  eaten,  and  so  are  cats  and  dogs    and 
even  snakes  ;   but  many  a  Chinese  would  noUouch 
ome  or  all  of  them.     Some  of  the  poverty  strckei 
counry-folk  scarcely  know  the  taste  of  mea     and 

?£^rt.»iL"r-r— .-■•- 


I 

i!i 

^  *  ■ 

k 


What  John  Chinaman  Bats 

Ing  ma$»  of  rice-field  wornii  that  are  hawked  about 
the  streets  (or  sale.  On  the  other  hand,  the  author 
has  seen  a  polite  Chinese,  •  "  t  tasting  cheese 
for  the  first  time  in  his  hous...  evidently  suffer 
much  till  an  opportunity  gave  him  the  chance  of 
leaving  the  room  and  spitting  out  the,  to  him, 
disgusting  eubstance. 

Milk  is  not  drunk  uncooked,  and  only  a  small 
quantity  is  consumed  ;  this  is  made  into  a  curded 
mass  like  janket,  and  hawked  warm  about  the 
streets  at  night. 

The  Chinaman  is  not  a  drunkard,  though 
drunkenness  is  to  be  found  in  the  land.  When 
drunk  he  stays  at  home  and  sleeps  off  his  potations. 
There  are  no  public-houses  tempting  him,  as  ii 
England,  not  only  at  every  street  comer,  but 
between  the  comers  as  well. 

On  feast  days,  anniversaries,  new  yr  its,  &c., 
he  is  fond  of  celebrating  the  occasion  with  his 
native  wine,  wh  ;h  is  really  a  spirit.  It  is  heated, 
and  t'runk  out  of  very  tiny  cu.  ;,  holding  about 
a  dessert -spoonful  each.  Some  a.  .nk  it  every  day 
at  dinner  ;  but  these  are  they  who  are  too  fond 
of  it.  It  is  always  present  at  formal  dinners,  and 
a  few  cups  of  it  soon  flush  up  the  face  of  John 
Chinaman,  who  is  easily  affected  by  alcohol. 

A  common  amusement  whilst  drinking  is  to  fling 
out  the  fingers  of  one  hand  to  another  at  '.he 
table,  who  must  instantly  sing  out  the  words  which 
he  conjectures  represent  the  numbei  of  fingers 
flung  out.  If  his  guess  be  wrong,  the  one  making 
i66 


Meals  and  Snacki 


sII.Th"""'  T'^'  "  "  ^'"'"'-  «»""k  a  cup  of  wine 

Hon.  ^Zr  r.iT.o"'Hf;t"Lrrri 

aoout   5  p.m.  ;    but  at  noon  he  takes  a  lunrh 
some   soup   or  calm.    «,  ..  *  lunch— 

such  vendors%s  p  owl  about  .^  T'""!.  ""'""'" 
even  those  who  stay  at  home  K  '  ''°""'  *"'* 
they  pass  their  dS  '"''  '"""  '""'"  *^ 

str«"'  eI*''.J°?''""'''  "'*=  '«-''«''  -bout  the 
o'  water,  and  weighed  out  while  Icickinir  -   .„  ,1 

The   Chiaaman    believes    in    feedine-   i,n      u-, 
doing  hard  worlr   o^j  ,    'eeamg    up    while 


n 


it^WfjH 

J 

^ 

1 

1 

WP- 


What  John  Chinaman  Eats 

rivers  of  South  China  and  working  from  dewy 
morn  till  dusky  eve,  stipulate  for  five  meals  a  day. 

John  Chinaman  is  now  beginning  to  indulge  in 
foreign  food.  On  the  lines  of  foreign-owned 
steamers  those  who  can  afford  it  have  a  choice  of 
either  Chinese  fare  or  English,  and  not  a  few 
try  the  latter.  With  the  hundreds  of  Chinese 
students  abroad  in  America  and  Europe,  it  is  not 
to  he  doubted  that  the  taste  acquired  in  our  lands 
for  our  dishes  will  be  carried  back  to  China. 

The  cooking  of  John  Chinaman's  food  is  done 
generally  on  red  earthenWare,  round  stoves,  each 
only  large  enough  to  hold  one  pot  or  pan  or  kettle, 
which  latter  often  are  also  of  coarse  grey  earthen- 
ware. These  are  thin,  and  the  substances  in  them 
are  quickly  heated.  One  would  think  economy  had 
been  one  of  the  chief  considerations  in  the  manu- 
facture of  these,  and  of  the  iron  utensils  used  in 
the  preparation  of  food  for  the  table.  For  there 
is  no  superabundance  of  metal  employed  in  the 
construction  of  the  latter^  and  thus  a  double 
economy  is  effected  :  less  material  is  used,  and  the 
price  is  kept  down,  and  less  resistance  is  offered 
to  the  heat  of  the  fire,  thus  less  wood  or  charcoal 
is  burned,  which  is  the  fuel  of  the  south.  For  the 
production  of  the  latter  the  whole  country,  except 
in  the  remote  interior,  has  been  denuded. 

All  the  wood  and  charcoal  is  brought  down  in 

boats    from   up-country  ;    so    that    except    in    the 

neighbourhood  of  monasteries   and   at  the   backs 

of  villages  groves  are  uncommon,   though  every 

i68 


Fuel 

t«nple.  if  possible,  has  its  banyan-tree,  and  the 

or  kettL  """r":  '''''  "°°''^'^-  I-"  ^-cepans 
or  kettles  are  httle  known,  but  iron  frying-pans 
are  m  constant  use,  to  fry  fish  and  vegetables 
and  for  many  other  purposes.  S^aoies 

alot'I'hVr.''J:  '?""'"■"'=  ^'^"""'J'  '^""S  planted 
from  th.  ^^  ^^"^^  ""^''^  P~»«^'  '"-  "'^e-fields 
from  the  river  or  divide  them  from  one  another 
Though  wood  is  cheap,  compared  with  the  prkes 
that  preva.  m  England,  yet  every  economy  L 
practised  wth  regard  to  it,  none  being  wa^ed 
taTin  '''       f'^,'  "P  ^'•'■^  "^'"^  the'cJ.dSs' 

lotd'iyi^rabir"^^^'  ""^ ""'  ^  ^'"^^  -"■  ^« 

Grass  is  also  used  for  fuel  by  the  poorer  classes  • 

but  a  i  H.       ^  °'  ■''"  ^'^'^  ^'^  womenfolk  are 
busy  all  day  m  cuttmg  this  on  the  hillsides  and 

hem  may  be  met,  wending  their  way  down  the 
steep  mountam  paths  to  their  homes  i'„  the  ci  ie 
and  plams  or  valleys.  Two  enormous  bundles 
are  nude  up  and  fastened  to  a  pole,  one  end  o 
wh^ch  .s  sometimes  sharpened,  and  this  is  thrust 
mto  one  of  the  trusses.  The  pole  is  carried  across 
one^shoulder  ,n  the  usual  way  the  Chinese  car'J 

This  indiscriminate  cutting  of  the  grass  is  very 

destructive  to   young  plants,   trees,  and  saplings 

very  few  of  the  latter  being  allowed  to  grow   for 

Oit  down  with  the  knife  of  the  grass-cutter,  they 

169 


What  John  Chinaman  Eats 

all  add  their  quota  to  the  evening  load. 
The  grass  is,  indeed,  used  for  fodder  to  some 
extent,  but  largely  for  fuel.  Hence  the  sterile 
appearance  of  mountain  ranges  in  the  south  of 
China.  In  winter  the  dry  grass  on  these  heights 
is  fired,  so  that  a  richer  crop  may  result  from 
the  ashes.  This,  of  course,  is  destructive  of  plants 
and  young  trees  struggling  for  existence  against 
such  adverse  circumstances. 

On  winter  nights  one  'sees  for  hours  these 
straggling  lines  of  fire  encircling  the  hills,  and 
creeping  along  like  fiery  serpents  or  dragons, 
forming  a  most  picturesque  sight  in  the  darkness. 
But  the  aspect  is  a  very  different  one  when,  on 
a  visit  to  these  spots  in  daylight,  a  blackened 
mass  of  cinders  and  charcoal  has  taken  the  place 
of  what  in  summer  would  be  luxuriant  vegetation. 
In  the  dry  winters,  when  for  weeks  and  months 
no  rain  falls  in  Southern  China,  the  long  grass 
dries  up,  till  it  looks  like  growing  hay.  This 
burning  grass  gives  off  a  peculiar  odour.  It 
flares  up,  and  the  fire  has  to  be  constantly  fed. 
With  thick  iron  utensils  over  the  fires,  such  as 
are  used  in  the  West,  cooking  would  be  difficult  ; 
but  with  the  thin  pots  and  pans  we  have  already 
described  it  is  not  so. 

The  atmosphere  of  Chinese  cities  and  towns 
is  not  surcharged  with  smoke  and  soot,  nor  does 
a  pall  of  darkness  in  consequence  hang  over  these 
centres  of  population.  As  yet  tall  chimneys  or 
factories  are  rare,  though  beginning  to  appear  with 
170 


Daily  Fumigation 

the  advance  of  Western  modes  of  manufacture. 
The  smoke  from  kitchen  fires  and  the  incense 
burned  twice  a  day  causes  a  smarting  smoke  to 
torture  the  eyes  in  the  streets  for  an  hour  or  so 
morning  and  evening.  This  daily  smoking,  com- 
bined with  the  fragrance  of  morning  and  evening 
in,  -nse,  has  doubtless  a  salutary  effect  on  the 
health  of  the  city  ;  for  with  the  reeking  filth  of 
the  narrow,  tortuous  streets  it  is  a  wonder  that 
constant  epidemics  do  not  decimate  the  large 
populations  that  live  amidst  it  all,  apparently  un- 
affected by  their  insalubrious   surroundings. 


'  in 


:|li 


171 


PI 


CHAPTER   XIV 

John  Chinaman's  Doctors 

'T^HE  doctor  does  not'  see  John  Chinaman  into 
•1  existence  and  assist  at  the  process,  and  so 
his  chances  of  siirviving  birth  are  much  less  than 
those  of  young  John  Bull.  At  the  same  time  he 
assists  him  out  of  life,  and  perhaps  sometimes 
sooner  than  necessary  were  no  physicians  called 
m.  We  say  physicians,  for  John  Chinaman  is 
not  content  with  one  doctor  when  he  is  ill. 

Not  that  he  has  more  than  one  at  a  time,  as 
may  be  the  case  in  our  land,  when  exalted  posi- 
tion or  an  abundance  of  funds  m.iy  make  it  usual 
for  several  physicians  to  be  in  attendance.  But 
the  Chinaman  expects  a  quick  return  for  the  money 
he  expends  on  his  doctor,  or  he  looks  for  a  speedy 
action  of  the  drugs  prescribed  ;  for  if  the  result 
expected  is  not  immediate,  he  calls  another  doctor, 
and  yet  another,  till  the  end  he  wishes  is  attained' 
or  until  he  is  beyond  doctors'  aid. 

Some  have  thought  that  there  are  indications 
in  old  Chinese  literature  thait  dissection  may  have 
173 


Early  Teaching 

been  known  in  olden  times.  This  is  perhaps  more 
than  doubtful  ;  but,  at  all  events,  such  a  thing 
has  not  been  thought  of  for  centuries  on  centuries. 
In  fact,  the  most  empirical  notions  are  extant  as 
to  the  organs  of  the  body  and  their  function^  • 
but,  notwithstanding  this,  they  have  anatomical 
diagrams.  Most  grotesque  are  their  ideas  of  the 
human  frame  as  thus  depicted,  and  as  described 
in  their  medical  books,  for  Chinese  medical  writers 
have  added  their  quota  to  the  extensive  literature 
of  that  land. 

In  Wylie's  Notes  on  Chinese  Literature,  accounts 
are  given  of  some  eighty  works  under  the  heading 
of  Mpdical  Writers.  It  is  thought  that  several 
centuries  before  the  Christian  era  some  advance 
had  been  made  towards  a  system.  There  are 
now  considered  to  be  nine  branches  of  medical 
practice:  these  are  blood-vessel  and  smallpox 
complamts,  "  fevers,  female  complaints,  cutaneous 
complamts,  cases  of  acupuncture,  eye  complaints, 
throat,  mouth,  and  teeth  complaints,  and  bone  com- 
plamts." "The  diseases  ol  the  inferior  animals 
have  been  included,  as  a  subsidiary  branch  of  the 
medical  profession,  from  the  earliest  times." 

That  medical  knowledge  of  a  kind  has  been 
in  existence  in  China  for  ages,  in  a  traditional 
form  originally,  is  proved  from  the  oldest  medical 
treatise  which  is  extant  in  that  country-one  written 
at  least  several  centuries  B.C.  While  it  must  be 
remembered  that  a  volume  of  a  Chinese  work 
is  only  about  the  size  of  one  of  our  smaller  monthly 
173 


1 5 


John  Chinaman's  Doctors 

magazines,  yet  the  works  of  some  of  the  medical 
writers  run  to  a  great  length,  as  one,  a  guide 
to  therapeutics,  is  in  i68  books,  containing  1,960 
discourses  on  2,175  subjects,  with  778  rules, 
2>,739  prescriptions,  and  is  illustrated  with  239 
diagrams.  Another  ("  considered  one  of  the  most 
complete  of  its  kind")  numbers  120  books.  Yet 
another  is  in  90  books  ;  but— one  would  feel  in- 
clined to  say  fortunately  for  tiie  doctors— the 
majority  of  this  class  of  writers  are  content  with 
a  few  volumes  each. 

The  great  Materia  M^dica  is  known  throughout 
Europe  amongst  all  who  know  anything  at  all 
concerning  Chinese  literature.  It  is  in  52  books, 
and  the  author.  Lay  She-Chun,  spent  thirty  years 
1.1  its  compilation,  making  extracts  from  upwards 
of  Soo  preceding  authors,  besides  adding  to 
the  work  from  his  own  knowledge.  It  contains 
particulars  of  1,892  different  medicaments.  If 
all  this  were  not  a  sufficient  proof  of  the  laborious 
and  painstaking  care  the  author  devoted  to  his 
task,  further  evidence  of  it  may  be  found  in  the 
fact  that  the  author  wrote  out  the  manuscript  three 
times  before  he  was  satisfied  to  let  it  see  the 
light  of  day. 

There  sometimes  seems  a  substratum  of  truth 
in  the  Chinese  ideas  as  elaborated  in  the  native 
medical  books.  A  main  idea  seems  to  be  grasped, 
and  then  buried  under  a  fantastic  mass  of 
absurdities.  The  bones  are  considered  as  a  sort 
of  framework  that  holds  the  body  together  ;  but 
«74 


The  Pulse  as  Guide 

no  care  is  employed  to  describe  them  correctly 
It  would  have  been  thought  .„at  exhumation  o 
he  skeleton  from  the  grave    (common  in  China 

them   th't  T"  °'  '""'-"""^  *°""'  •'^^  ^>>°*n 

nstT.H     f  T   '^°   "'""^^    '"   'he   forearm 

instead  of  one,  and  the  same  with  the  leg.     Also 

"would   be   thought   that   the   osteology   of   the 

d.fferent  parts  of  the  body  would  be  betfcT  known, 

for  here   the   same  careless  nonchalance   is   dis- 

tiir  f  1  '°  ^"  ^''"'■^''  enumeration  and  descrip- 

of  VS^^  ■component  parts  of  the  bony  structure 

of  the  body.     They  have  the  most  extraordinary 

notions  as  to  the  circulation  of  the  blood  ;    and 

he  pulse  .s  the  stronghold  of  the  medical  prac- 

mmner.      By   the   examination   of   the  pulse   the 

Chmese  doctor  considers  himself  able  to  diagnose 

JT:^-  'w  '^^  "^  '°""'y  *"h  precisi^. 

W,th  this  mfallible  aid  and  guide  to  ascertain 
.he  seat  of  the  disease  and  the  dUease  itself  there 
.s  no  need  to  hear  the  patient  describe  his  sensa- 

TLTJ  T  °'  ''^^  "^"^  '°  '""  'he  patient, 
m  the  case  of  a  woman,  who  may  lie  hidden  in  he; 
bed  with  mosqu.to-net  drawn,  and  simply  put  her 
two  hands  out  through  the  curtains  for  the  doctor 

t.r  each  hand  and  each  pulse  is  distinguishad 
mo  heavy  and  hght,  &c.,  which  serve  to  locate 
the  disorder.  The  Chinese  believe  the  beating 
of  the  pulse  alone  will  show  the  cause  and  locality 
ot  the  disease.  ' 

An  author  who  nearly  two  centuries  ago  wrote 
'75 


III 

1 

1 

1 

n 

John  Chlnaxnan'8  Doctors 

about  the  Chinese  thus  quaintly  describes  the 
solemn  and  important  mode  of  examining  this  dis- 
closer of  medical  secrets  to  the  Chinese  medical 

"When  they  are  called  to  a  sick  person,  they 
lay  his  arm  upon  a  pillow,  then  place  their  four 
fingers   along   the   artery,   sometimes   gently,   and 
sometimes  hard.    They  take  some  time  to  examine 
the  beatmg,  and  distinguish  the  differences,  how 
nnpf  rceptible  soever,  and  according  to  the  motion, 
more   or   less   quick,   full   or   slender,   uniform    "; 
irregular,    which   they   observe   with    the   greatest 
attention    they  discover  the  cause  of  the  ll^^e 
msomuch   that,   without  asking  the   patient,   they 
tell  him  m  what  part  of  the  body  the  paiA  lies 
wheher  the  head,   stomach  or   belly,  or'whethe; 
t  be  the  hver  or  spleen  which  is  affected.     Thev 
likewise   foretell   when   his   head   shall   be  easier 

^«1  n  ,''''°^""  ^'"  ''°"'^'^-  ^d  *hen  the' 

distemper  will  leave  him."  ■ 

,u  ^'  ''^^^T^  ^y  ""=  '^'•'""^  that  there  are  a 
housaiid  differences   in   the  pulse,   dependent   on 
sex,  age,  stature,  and  seasons.    "  Every  season  of 
the  year  has  its  proper  pulse."     "  I„  the  spring  to 
have  the  pulse  of  the  stomach,  in  the  winter  the 
pulse  of  the  heart,  in  summer  that  of  the  lungs    in 
autumn  that  of  the  liver,  are  all  very  bad  "     'no 
wonder  that  a  book  on  the  pulse  in  Chinese  say= 
_  The  examination  of  the  pulse  is  "  in  some  place, 
very  difficult,"  and  in  another  passage  in  the  same 
■  Du  Halde,  Ckiita,  iii.  p.  363. 
176 


The  Hot  and  Cold  Causes 

,.2?    '"  '?"  '•""  "*  «»  Chin..,  to  ,^rf 

basis  of  Chinese  philosophy,  which  pervade  ail 
We  and  existence,  everything  beinif  caDabl.  nf 
bemg  placed  under  the  one'or  2  oTr  ^iso 
dominate  the  whole  gamut  of  disease  ,-^d  Jn 
mems  are  ascribed  as  due  to  a  disagreement  of 
'77 


ii 


ill 


John  Chinaman's  Doctors 

(th«e,  to  the  presence  of  bad  humour,,  or  to  the 
•V.1  sp,r„s.  and  until  ,he,e  agencies  a  ^  cor  ected 
mediones  cannot  exercise  their  full  efficacy  "A, 

umce,    taken    from    the    same    Materia    Mcdica- 

.-..u.  to  ,h.,  p„, .,™ ;  *-  "■;  """.- 

«r  »p.  of  ,h,  pu„„,    ,^        '  ",,tX^ 

stt   sorts  of  complamts  he  cannot  cure-    "The 

who  want  the  common  necessaries  of  life      th.' 
fourth    sort   is  of   those   who   have   the    vL       I 
yeng  irregular  ;    the  fifth  sort  is  of  such  wh    ' 
account  of  their   extreme   weatae!     L   In;  "of 
flesh,   are   not   fit  to  take  any  sort  oT  remed Ls 

and    impostors,    and    have    no    faith    in    r       > 
physicians."     The  utter  disregard    or  a  rijhfd 
scr.ption   of   what   lies   under   the   surface   of  t 
sk.n  .s  balanced  by  the  most  n>i„uraccouL  ^f 
«7» 


Filial  Sacrifice 

the  surface  of  the  body,  which  is  ,11  mapped  out. 
with    h'i'  ^l-- '"ch  has  i„  name  and  connecii 

A   sovereign    remedy    when    a    parent    is    ill    i, 

from  h'""  ";  "  ''"«"'"  •"  ^"^  '^  P'«=«  °f  fiesh 

or  Th.Jh'"'   r  °r  '^'^'  «'="'=""y  f'"-"  'he  arm 
•^r   thigh,   with   which  a   broth   is   made   for   the 

ThrA  f    J"''  "  mentioned  in  the  papers. 

The  Ch,„ese  laud  such  a  deed  to  the  skies!  aVan 
exemplary  act  of  filial  piety.  We  are  afraid^ 
.s  not  always  voluntary,  if  an  instance  described 
by  a  foreign  medical  practitioner  in  the  Kwong 
Tung  province  is  to  be  taken  as  an  examolf 
of  some  of  the  other  occurrences  of  it  wTfch 
there    seems    no    reason    to    doubt    may  'be    the 

In  this  attempted  cure  by  means  of  it.  the  father 
had  been  .mder  the  care  of  an  English  doctor 
but,   with   the   fatuity  of   the  Chinese,   his   famTly' 
had  proceeded  to  consult  the  idols,  as  the  patS 
had  not  improved  immediately  on  the  first  dose 
of  the  foreign  medicine  given.     The  god  said  re- 
covery was  impossible  without  the  human  bro  h 
The  sick  man's  daughter  was  persuaded,   by   the 
hghly  exalted  ideas  she  had  of  filial  pi'ety,  and 
also   partly   by   threats,   to  give  a   piece  of   /esh 
from  her  forearm   to  make   the   broth.     But  her 

mart'vr"drrHr""""^  '   '"^  ''''"  '''^'''  -^  th" 
martyr  daughter  succumbed,  as  her  injured  arm 

179 


I   ;l, 


j  111; 


(I 


John  Chinaman's  Doctors 

being  wrapped  up  in  coarse  and  dirty  rags,  became 
diseased. 

Whatever  is  nasty  is  good  for  medicine  in  the 
opinion  of  John  Chinaman,  one  would  think  ; 
but  the  remedies  employed  are  no  more  nasty 
than  what  our  forefathers  toolc  to  cure  them- 
selves. We  cannot  afford  to  laugh  at  John  China- 
man, as  in  our  own  country  there  still  lingers 
the  remains  of  a  belief  in  the  efficacy  of  strange 
and  hideous  remedies.  In  one  of  the  London  daily 
papers  recently  an  account  was  given  of  the  venom 
from  a  rattlesnake  being  extracted,  to  be  used 
as  an  antidote  to  madness,  and  one  is  tempted 
to  say  the  cure  seems  an  insane  one.  If  people 
in  civilised  England  use  such  remedies,  what  can 
we  expect  of  the  Chinese? 

The  medical  missionary  practising  amoii^^st  the 
Chinese  comes  across  some  remarkable  medica- 
ments, and  the  exhibition  of  them  under  the  most 
peculiar  circumstances. 

Here  are  one  or  two  instances  :  A  little  girl 
was  forced  to  drink  a  concoction  of  scorpions 
and  woodlice,  as  a  cure  for  gastro-enteritis,  besides 
being  burnt  in  several  places.  In  Roderick  Mac- 
donald,  M.D.,  we  are  told  how  a  poor  woman 
suffering  from  cancer  was  made  rapidly  worse 
by  the  use  of  Chinese  medicines.  "  One  side 
was  completely  eaten  away  by  the  awful  disease, 
and  all  over  the  raw  wounds  were  spread  slices 
of  putrid  pork  I  Their  reason  for  this  treatment 
was  the  hope  that  the  worms  in  the  pork  would 
i8o 


A  Sad  Case 

•ttwct  the  wormi  in  the  wound,  and  in  thi,  way 

and  bandaged  comfortably ;  but  later  on  the 
bandage,  were  torn  off  by  her  friend,,  and  red 

on  ,h™  r  ""'"'  ';'"'  ^'''""''  -character,  written 
on  them  were  pmned  to  her  clothes  and  mosquito- 
her  bed.  to  draw  out  the  demons.     At  last  all  the 

rt^'TorlT'  ^' .'"":>''"''  -'d  children  left  the 
room  for  her  to  die  alone,  frightened  to  be  near 
her,  from  fear  of  these  demons. 

The  most  disgusting  compounds  are  taken 
^metmies  in  doses  large  enough  for  a  horse.  One 
of  the  Emperors  of  China  died  after  being 
doctored  w.,h  a  pill  of  the  contents  of  whkh 
common  decency  prevents  the  mention. 

The  druggists'  shops  are  a  pattern  oi  neatness 
and  are  nicely  fitted  up  with  drawers,  shE' 
counters,  and  row,  of  pewter  or  blue  china  jlr  ,' 
and  gallipots.  The  Chinaman  knows  how  to  dress 
a  shop  to  make  it  look  tempting 

rhubarb  and  hquor.ce-root,  and  look  like  botanical 
specimens.  The  herbalists'  shops  present  a  more 
untidy  appearance,  with  bunches  of  dried  herbs 
st^ftTsei."'"  '^"  '"^"  '"'^  overflowing  into  the 

^r.^inVI!-^'". '""''*''  """  P'-of^sors  of  the  healing 
art  m  China  into  doctors,  quacks,  and  old  women 
though    the    sceptical    foreigner    would    descX' 
j8i  ^ 


jfTP" 


John  Chinaman's  Doctors 

nearly  the  whole  of  them  under  both  the  second 
and  third  appellations.  The  first  are  again  divided 
by  the  Chinese  into  two  classes  :  one  is  composed 
of  those  who  attend  to  outward  diseases  or  com- 
plaints ;  and  the  other  is  formed  of  those  who  look 
after  internal  disorders,  generally,  as  may  be 
gathered  from  what  has  been  already  said,  in  a 
blind  way.  There  are  no  examinations,  nor  are 
diplomas  given.  Any  one  can  set  up  as  a  doctor  : 
no  qualification  is  required  ;  but  the  son  of  a 
physician  is  supposed  to  be  better  equipped  for 
the  tasks  of  curing  others,  and  more  worthy  of 
trust  and  confidence,  than  one  who  starts  without 
any  predecessor  in  the  art  of  healing.  This  is  not, 
as  at  first  sight  might  be  supposed,  due  to  the 
idea  of  heredity  transmitting  the  talent  from  father 
to  son.  It  is  mainly  due  to  the  fact  that  the 
descendant  of  a  doctor  will  inherit  his  books  of 
prescriptions,  and  thus  be  set  up  at  once  with  the 
necessary  knowledge  ready  to  his  hand  when  he 
starts. 

Added  iclat  and  prestige  are  the  lot  of  the  man 
who  can  put  up  over  his  door  that  he  is  a  doctor 
of  the  third  generation.  He  is  then  in  the  public 
eye  duly  qualified,  and  has  no  need  of  aught  else 
to  testify  to  his  ability  to  kill  or  cure  at  sight. 
There  is  no  doubt  that  a  shrewd  and  intelligent 
man  may,  and  does,  sometimes  hit  on  remedies 
which  are  beneficial  ;  and  Nature,  if  not  stultified, 
may  be  the  healer,  while  the  doctor  gets  the  credit 
of  the  cure.  But  empiricism,  ignorance,  and  pre- 
182 


Mo-dtm  Changes 


in  the  dark  '^^  "°""^"  '"  ^'^  ^^Pings 

Not  only  is  preliminary  practice  wanting  •    but 

doc°tors"and"rr'r  ""^"^  '''-^^  ^--  ^ 
Pharmacopeia  by  competent  We^^r^^theS" 

f  u  iirT'arorrf  ^  "•'^'''  ■'^^---^ 

would  be"th    casT    But"f      ?  "'=°"  '"^^  ^"'^ 

oyster.shelir(  he  iatter  u  ed"    "'''  ^"'  ^'"""'^ 
look  very  hopeful  for  """"P^^  ^°  "« 

conducive  to^etl/;  ^^'"™^"'  °^'  '^  --^'^"ed, 

hosS'havft«i"f "'     '"J==-°""-    -'    t'^eir 

princiJe?ardVrSof  WeTt  :^  1=^"^-^"  ''^^ 
with  fho  1,      J     J  vvestem  medicme.    Thesp 

witn  the  hundreds  of  thnnccr,,!,     u  i"ese, 

the  missionary  hosplt    s  "2  of  Zr"  f  ""^^ 
are  makine  thp   rM„         •  ^"^  ailments, 

aicmg  the   Chmese  m  many  parts   of  the 
183 


:  I 


•  ill 

itd 

■!i 

I  ^H 

J' 

I  r 


John  Chinaman's  Doctors 

Empire  familiar  with  foreign  doctors  and  foreign 
medicine.  The  new  Imperial  Medical  Department 
is  also  to  be  strengthened  by  the  addition  of  doctors 
trained  in  European  methods.  Thus  better  days 
are  dawning  for  the  sick  and  infirm  in  China. 


»84 


CHAPTER   XV 

What  John  Chinaman  Reads 

QF  the  making  of  books  there  is  no  end. 
thT  P  ^°"ft'«^«/his  is  far  more  true,  not  only  in 
tl^^'l  ''"*  '"  "^"  ^"  E==''  'ban  it  \vas 
stetemeM  ^  "'^  '^*''"'''  ^"'''°'  P'""^''  '^« 

Notwithst.        .     the    iconoclastic   zeal    of   the 
ancient  and     ....sted  Emperor,  who  swept  away 

ofthiT'^K  ^°^'^'''"^  ^'^  ^  barbarity  worth? 
of  the  Goths  and  of  Alexandria,  and  notwithstand- 
mg  the  more  destructive  element  of  fire,  which 
has  consumed  many  a  mammoth  library  of  in- 
estimable value,  the  literature  of  China  seems  an 
inexhaustible  storehouse  of  volumes  on  ahnost 
every  branch  of  knowledge  or  ignorance. 

Were  the  funds  of  information  and  the  treasures 
of  interest  not  tocked  up  in  the  intricacies  of  a 
^nguage  which  is  a  Chinese  puzzle-lock  to  most 
Westerners,  ardent  students  by  the  hundreds  and 
housands.  instead  of  the  few,  would  have  explored 
the  vast  labyrmth  which  tantalises  by  its  immensity 


What  John  Chinaman  Reads 


i  M 


I:  I: 


those  who  would  like  to  wander  through  all  its 
intricate  paths. 

The  classics  are  the  sacred  books  of  China — 
the  Chinese  Pentateuch  ami  Gospels,  though  there 
is  no  analogy  between  them  and  those  of  our 
Sacred  Literature  except  in  name,  or  rather  number 
—"The  Five  Classics"  and  "The  Four  Books." 
By  the  classics  are  meant  these  nine  volumes  which 
contain  the  sayings  of  Confucius  and  Mencius 
primarily,  and  secondly,  works  either  edited  or 
compiled  by  the  former,  or  bearing  the  imprimatur 
of  his  ardent  approval,  or  compiled  by  his 
followers . 

.Were  we  to  select  what  John  Chinaman  considers 
his  best  books,  they  would  scarcely  exceed  one 
hundred,  the  standard  apparently  set  by  some  in 
England  ;  but  a  hundred  times  the  number,  or  a 
hundred  times  that,  would  not  tell  the  tale  of  all 
his  books. 

A  large  mass  of  works  has  accumulated  round 
the  classics  in  the  way  of  commentaries,  &c. 
Histories  are  large  and  voluminous,  dealing  with 
whole  dynasties  or  certain  periods.  Seme  of  the 
ancient  ones  are  dry  as  dust,  consisting  of  a  mass 
of  isolated  facts,  or  what  are  thought  to  be  facts, 
stated  in  the  most  bald  and  unint-resiing  style. 
A  blazon  of  glory  gathers  round  one  semi-historical 
book,  or  novel  rather,  which  narrates  the  story 
of  events  in  the  feudal  times  But,  as  a  rule,  novels 
are  considered  by  the  Chinese  to  hold  quite  a 
secondary  position.  In  fact,  a  secondary  position 
i86 


New  Wine,  Old  Bottles 

iJ  far  too  high  a  one  for  them.  Novelists  seldom 
put  their  names  to  their  productions,  as  was  the 
case  once  in  the  .West  as  well. 

Barring  the  classics  and  what  pertains  to  them, 
poetry  and  belles-lettres,  the  other  productions  of 
the  press  are  considered  by  the  educated  Chinese 
as  inferior  in  quality,  though  in  quantity  their 
numbers  are  great. 

It  may  be  stated  as  an  axiom  of  Chinese  life 
that  nearl>  all  that  is  old  is  considered  to  be 
excellent.  The  old  wine  is  better  ;  or  at  least  was 
until  recently,  when  the  vintages  produced  in 
the  West  having  been  sampled  and  tested,  a 
change  is  coming  over  John  Chinaman's  caste. 
At  present,  the  experiment  of  putting  the  old  wine 
into  new  bottles,  or  rather  the  new  wine  of  Western 
civilisation,  learning,  and  education  into  the  old 
bottles  of  Chinese  thought,  is  being  tried,  with  the 
result  that  the  inevitable  fermentation  has  set  in, 
sometimes  with  disastrous  results,  and  unrest  and 
outbursts  may  take  place,  till  new  bottles  are 
turned  out  in  sufficient  numbers  in  the  way  of 
preparation  of  large  numbers  of  Eastern  minds,  by 
shaping  them  into  more  progressive  modes,  so  as 
to  be  able  to  assimilate  the  new. 

The  foundations  of  an  education  removed  from 
the  narrow  basis  of  Chinese  knowledge  are  being 
laid  in  China  on  a  large  scale.  As  a  result,  some 
of  the  youths  of  China  would  make  their  grand- 
fathers turn  in  their  narrow  geomantic  graves  and 
spoil  all  the  fung-shui,  if  they  knew  that  their  scions 
187 


m. 


1^ 

m 

HHlT 

!lH 

HI 

I 

'S^KKKSek  ■ 

■ 

m 

J 

What  John  Chinaman  Reads 

were  discarding  the  old  classics,  the  glory  oi 
ancient  and  modern  China,  and  actually  saying  that 
they  had  no  use  for  them,  and  they  were  of  no 
account. 

There  is  one  thing  that  redounds  to  the  honour 
of  the  Chinese,  and  which  should  be  flung  into  the 
teeth  of  their  detractors  ;  and  that  is  that  there  is 
not  a  single  impure  passage  in  the  whole  classical 
literature  of  China ;  this  is  also  true  if  we 
extend  the  term  "  classical  "  to  our  conception  of 
what  that  word  implies,  arid  do  not  limit  it  to 
the  sacred  books  of  China  only.  It  is  only  in  some 
of  the  novels  that  there  is  a  slight  tendency 
occasionally  towards  the  mention  of  things  that 
had  better  be  left  unsaid ;  but  even  this  does 
not  approach  'he  atmosphere  of  impurity  which 
pervades  some  of  our  .Western  light  literature. 

This  is  all  the  more  extraordinary  when  one 
realises  how  unclean  John  Chinaman's  mouth  is. 
The  Eastern  atmosphere  has  apparently  something 
to  do  with  this  ;  but  when  all  is  said,  his  foulness 
does  not  go  very  far  beyond,  if  any  farther,  than 
that  some  of  the  lower  classes  in  England  indulge 
in.  It  seems  to  us  in  the  West  a  peculiar  trait  of 
mind  which  permits  the  constant  reference  to 
subjects  which  are  tabooed  in  polite  society  with 
us.  This  gives  a  familiarity  of  treatment  which 
is  apt,  according  to  our  present-day  ideas  (though 
three  hundred  years  ago  our  ancestors  took  the 
same  position  with  regard  to  them),  to  develop 
into  excessive  freedom  of  speech  about  matters 
i88 


Chinese  Literature 

which  had  better  be  left  alone.  John  Chinaman 
does  not  swear,  or  but  seldom ;  but  he  heaps 
odium  on  the  mother  and  ancestors  of  his  adver- 
sary,  by   suggesting   the   grossest   crimes. 

So  does  he  famiharise  himself  with  this  form 
of  objurgation  that  he  can  scarce  open  his  mouth 
without  using  these  forms  of  speech,  which,  used 
simply  as  exclamations,  convey  no  meaning,  so 
debased  are  they  by  constant  employ,  much  after 
the  manner  of  some  in  England. 

To  quote  the  Quarterly  Review  once  more  :— 
"  The  Chinese  stand  eminently  distinguished  from 
other  Asiatics  by  their  early  possession  and  exten- 
sive use  of  the  important  art  of  printing."  "  Hence 
they  are,  as  might  be  expected,  a  reading  people  ; 
a  certain  degree  of  education  is  common  among 
even  the  lower  classes."  "  Among  the  higher  it  is 
superfluous  to  insist  on  the  great  estimation  in 
which  letters  must  be  held,  under  a  system  where 
learning  forms  the  very  threshold  of  the  gate  that 
conducts  to  fame,  honour,  and  civil  employment. 

"  Amid  the  vast  mass  of  printed  books  which  is 
the  natural  offspring  of  such  a  state  of  things,  we 
make  no  scruple  to  avow  that  the  circle  of  their 
belles-lettres,  comprised  under  the  heads  of  Drama, 
Poetry,  and  Novels,  has  always  possessed  the 
highest  place  in  our  esteem."  "  We  must  say  that 
there  appears  no  readier  or  more  agreeable  m*)de 
of  becoming  intimately  acquainted  with  a  people 
from  whom  Europe  can  have  little  to  learn  on 
the  score  of  either  moral  or  physical  science,  than 
189 


■!   i 
i  IK 


What  John  Chinaman  Reads 

by  drawing  largely  on  the  inexhaustible  stores  of 
their  ornamental  literature." 

As  to  fiction,  there  are  18,000  well-known 
novels.  The  following  description  from  a  work 
by  myself  will  convey  some  idea  of  the  Chinese 
novel  : 

"A  Chinese  novel  is  generally  a  finished  sketch 
in  black  and  white— very  black  and  very  white, 
no  softening  down  nor  shading  :  the  characters' 
stand  out  in  bold  relief.  The  villains  are  as 
black  as  black  can  be,  and  form  the  deepest 
background,  to  throw  into  relief  the  virtuous  hero 
and  heroine,  and  their  friends,  helpers,  and  well- 
wishers.  The  hero  is  a  paragon  of  excellence, 
physically,  mentally,  and  morally.  He  often 
possesses  the  prowess  of  a  warrior,  the  intellect  of 
a  senior  wrangler,  while  as  regards  the  virtues 
he  stands  at  high-water  mark. 

"  The  heroine— but  what  need  to  describe  her? 
It  is  needless  to  say  she  is  charming,  as  seen 
through     Chinese     spectacles  ;     her     lover     will 
generally  find  her~in  this  so  different  from  the 
real     Chinese    women— so    well    acquainted    with 
letters  as  to  lift  her  from  the  mere  position  of  i 
doll,  and  withal  '  a  clever,  resourceful,  and  modest 
young  lady.'     Apparently   insuperable   difficuhies 
are  piled  up,  of  course,  by  the  novelist,  for  him  to 
clear  away  by  his  consummate  skill  in  the  un- 
ravelling of  the  plots  and  intrigues  against  hero 
and  heroine,  and  all  comes  well  in  the  end,  not 
with  the  ringing  of  marriage-bells,  for  such  things 
190 


Chinese  Poetry 


are  unknown  in  China,  but  with  the  red  wedding 
sedan-chair,  the  firing  of  crackers  and  beating  of 
gongs,  and  feasting."  ■ 

"  The  whole  subject  of  Chinese  poetr;-  is  worthy 
of  a  more  thorough  treatment  than  it  has  yet 
received.  One  peculiar  element  is  the  tones  which 
m  the  Chinese  language  give  a  musical  note 
unkno^vn  m  foreign  tongues,  to  which  attention  has 
to  be  paid  by  the  Chinese  poet,  apart  from  the 
Identity  of  some  required  for  rhyme."  "The 
Chinese  language  lends  itself  readily  to  the  poetic 
art  ;  harsh  consonantal  sounds  are  wanting,  and 
the  combination  of  consouc-nts  and  vowels  is  often 
musical.  Though  largely  monosyllabic,  the 
diphthongs  give  a  somewhat  dissyllabic  character 
to  many  of  the  words.  The  cadence  and  modula- 
tion required  are  to  be  found  in  the  tones  of  the 
Chinese  language,  and  every  word  takes  the  place 
of  a  foot  occupied  by  a  metrical  foot  in  our 
.Western  poetry."  = 

"  In  the  hands  of  an  accomplished  writer,  the 
Chinese  langua^,  is  capable  of  a  condensed 
picturesqueness  and  vigour,  such  as  can  be 
rendered  into  no  foreign  language  less  ideographic 
m  its  mode  of  writing,  unless  by  means  of  wordy 
paraphrases.  Each  character  in  its  (often 
numerous)  component  parts  carries  a  wealth  of 
imagery  to  the  sense,  and  whole  series  of  metaphors 

■  Things  Chinese,  by  J.  Dyer  Ball.    4th  Edition,  p.  485. 
"  /(>.<.'.    pp.  539-40.    Also  see  Rhythms  and  Rhymes  in  Chinese 
Utmes  ■  A  Lecture  on  Chinese  Poetry  and  Poets.     By  ].  Dyer  Ball. 
191 


•    I 


( I 

■|  ; 

i 

1  ; 

! 

1  ) 

;      i 

m. 

;' 

-    . 

iH 

1  ^^M 

ill 

1'^'  ■ 

1 

Wha*  John  Chinaman  Reads 

are  embodied  in  a  singfle  epithet.  A  language  of 
this  kind  lends  itself  especially  to  the  description 
of  the  scenery,  and  the  most  superficial  analysis 
of  Chinese  poetry  reveals  the  fact  that  the  pro- 
ductions which  are  most  applauded  in  this  branch 
of  literature  consist  simply  of  elaborate  word- 
painting,  whose  beauty  resides  rather  in  the 
medium  of  expression  than  in  the  author's  thought. 
Hence  it  happens  that  when  odes,  renowned  for 
centuries  amiong  Chinese  readers,  are  transposed 
mto  the  naked  languages  of  Europe,  it  is  found 
that  their  charm  has  vanishti,  as  the  petals  of  a 
flower  ■^^i  'ropped  from  the  insignificant  and 
sober-coloured   fruit." 

The  youth  in  his  studies  learns  his  first  lessons 
to  a  tripping  rhyming  measure.  After  going 
through  two  or  three  small  books  of  this  character 
he  devotes  some  time  in  his  scholastic  and 
collegiate  course  to  a  number  of  the  classics  in 
prose,  but,  if  he  continues  his  studies,  sooner  or 
later  he  finds  his  curriculum  embraces  the  ancient 
Book  of  Odes,  a  collection  of  over  three  hundred 
ancient  'olk-songs,  consisting  of  songs,  ballads 
heroic  odes,  sacrificial  hymns,  and  love-songs, 
handed  down  from  centuries  before  our  Christian 
era. 

Poetry  seems  to  have  adapted  itself  to  all  con- 
ditions of  Chinese  life.  Entering  in  at  a  city  gate 
one  may  sometimes  see  a  proclamation  in  rhyme 
issued  by  some  high  official;  a  notice  put  up  by 
your  native  servants  in  the  servants'  quarters  of 
193 


A    IM.IM,   MMiJN,^   ,i|Ki,    vv,,   ,„  ..^  ^.  , 


Chinese  Poets 

your  house  will  al,o  be  at  times  in  jinKlin* 
measures;  the  ritual  or  exordium  read  by  TaS 
priests  to  the  bridegroom  and  bride  of  the  boa 
population  ,s  in  line,  of  verse.  The  verges  used 
at  weddmg  feasts  as  a  play  or  game  are  in 
quatrains.  The  oracles  ai.  in  verse.  Ballad  books 
abound  and  for  the  delight  of  those  who  canno 
read  as  well  as  of  those  who  can,  balUd-sineers 

ftrain    a';  '"''  '°  *"  ''"''  '°  ''"«  '"  *  -" '^" 
strain,  accompanying  themselves  with  a  tinkline 

.ns.rumej,t.    Blind  singing-girls  with  their  duenna! 

and   guitars   seek  engagements   at   night.     Thus 

poe  ry  and  song  and  music  surround  the  Chinaman 

It  would  be  impossible  hew  to  enumerate  the 

names  and  works  of  poets  in  a  land  where  polts 

tatZ;*^'  ""T  "'^'•^  *'»"«''=''  schoolboT 
taught  to  compose  m  verse  as  well  as  in  prose 

UvTaiTfJ  '^"  T""""  ^''  °'  China  were 
Lay  Tai  Pak   (30  volume-),  and  So  Toong  Poh 

whose  works,  poetic  and  prose,  are  contained  in 
••5  volumes.  These  two  produced  rough 
dmmonds  md  polished  gems.  But  these  are  only 
two   out   of  many   famous  ones. 

One  specimen,  translated  by  the  present  author 
from  the  second  of  these  two  poets,  is  entS- 

A  WARRIOR  BOLD. 
A  Warrior  bold 
In  Ho  Sai  old; 
Alas  I  but  no  one  knows  him  now. 
Athwart  the  stream 
Where  waters  gleam 
He  sees  the  boats  through  billows  plough 
'93 


M 


I 


What  John  Chinaman  Reads 

His  piebald  steed 

Has  run  to  weed, 
Nor  Iwars  his  master  to  the  fray ; 

His  lance  so  long, 

In  arm  so  strong, 
A  beam,  nor  man,  nor  elf  could  stay. 

And  now  the  toll 

This  noble  soul 
Must  count  the  livelong  summer's  day. 

And  fret  himjelf 

With  hoarded  pelf, 
And  wear  bis  wasted  life  away. 

From  Western  lands 

Our  beaten  bands 
Return ;  but  he  our  land  could  save  ; 

He'd  mount  his  steed. 

And  take  the  lead 
Before  ten  thousand  troopers  brave. 

And  foemen  die. 

As  arrows  fly, 
And  sheathe  themselves  in  quivering  flesh. 

Then  from  my  car 

I'd  watch  afar 
My  hero's  valour  rise  afresh. 

Besides   this,   two   love-songs   must  suffice  for 
specimens  of  Chinese  poetry: 


TO  FIND  A  HEART  THAT'S  TRUE. 

And  oh  I  to  find  a  heart  that's  true  ; 
For  winning  it  there's  naught  I'd  rue. 
And  e'en  in  death  I'd  seek  it  yet. 
Nor  ceasing  but  till  it  I'd  met 
'94 


Amorous  Verse 


And  then  a  glance  would  test  its  truth, 
And  yet  a  glance  tyould  test  its  ruth  ; 
With  love  as  test  we'd  surely  meet 
In  happy  troth,  in  counsel  sweet. 

Alas  I  but  fraud  has  had  its  way, 
And  fraud  on  fraud  has  won  the  day ; 
An  empty  heart  is  all  that's  left, 
Beware,  or  ere  your  heart's  bereft. 

E'en  though  he  comes  with  heart  of  steel, 
I'll  test  him  twice  to  test  the  real ; 
I'll  test  him  thrice  to  know  his  heart, 
Or  ere  he  comes  with  guileful  art. 


OH  I   CORD  OF  THOUGHTS  OF  LOVE. 

Oh  I  Cord  of  Thoughts  of  Love, 
That  binds  us  from  above. 
Canst  thou  but  draw  him  here. 
Oh  I  bring  him  to  me  near. 
If  strength  is  in  thy  strands. 
Then  loose  not  thou  the  bands 
Of  heartstrings'  blended  length. 
For  hence  their  wondrous  strength. 

Oh !  Cord  of  Thoughts  of  Love. 
That  binds  us  from  above. 
If  one  doth  cast  me  by. 
Befooled  with  hateful  lie, 
1  spurn  thee,  Cord  of  Hate ; 
i  hate  thee  for  that  state. 
Thou  draw'st  us  heart  from  heart. 
And  mak'st  true  love  to  part. 

Oh  I  Cord  of  Thoughts  of  Love, 
That  binds  us  from  above. 
Love-worthy  now  thy  mee(| ; 
Thou  draw'st  us  back  indeed. 
«9S 


What  John  Chinaman  Reads 

From  either  side  away 
We're  dragged,  nor  can  we  stay ; 
Thus  tiound  in  union  sweet, 
I  linow  not  when  we  meet 

Oh  I  Cord  of  Thoughts  of  Love, 

That  binds  us  from  above. 

Alas  I  my  heart  is  thine, 

'Midst  stormy  skies  and  fine. 

Its  love  is  in  thy  heart, 

Inshrined  with  guileless  art. 

My  heart's  best  love  to  thee,  my  life 

Is  given.    Oh  I  keep  it  true  from  strife. 

Oh  I  Cord  of  'hioughts  of  Love, 
That  binds  us  from  above. 
Oh  I  pity  'tis  that  you 
From  time  to  time  anew 
Do  cut  the  cord  that  binds, 
And  then  my  spirit  finds 
In  riot  wild  my  heart 
And  beating  bosom  start. 

Oh  I  Cord  of  Thoughts  of  Love 
That  binds  us  from  above. 
I  swear  by  stream  and  hill. 
An  oath  by  mount  and  rill, 
That  hearts  must  never  change. 
If  Love  apart  doth  range. 
Nor  cord  will  then  us  bind  ; 
Our  ways  apart  we  find. 

It  is  impossible  in  the  space  of  a  few  pages  to 
give  any  idea  of  the  immense  mass  of  Chinese 
literature  in  all  its  many  branches.  Take  for 
example  the  one  heading  of  Buddhism.  Under 
this  are  to  be  found  nearly  two  thousand  transla- 
tions by  the  early  Buddhists  in  China-Hindoo 
196 


Western  Influence 

and  nativft-made  from  the  Sanscrit,  without  taking 
into  account  the  original  works  which  in  time  came 
under  that  category,  and  were  written  by  Chinese 
adherents  of  that  faith.  It  will  thus  be  seen  how 
vast  and  extensive  a  range  Chinese  literature 
embraces.  Modem  works  of  one  kind  and  another 
pour  out  from  the  press  in  great  and  increasing 
numbers. 

A  fresh  impetus  has  been  given  of  late  with 
the  desire  of  the  Chinese  to  learn  ill  the  West 
has  to  teach  them;  for  now  Western  science  and 
knowledge  is  being  laid  under  contribution  to  an 
•almost  unprecedented  extent.  Unfortunately, 
though,  all  that  is  translated  and  thus  appropriated 
and  assimilated  is  not  of  the  highest  class,  even 
bad  novels  to  pander  to  the  low  passions  of  the 
vile  being  included.  Standard  books  as  well  are, 
however,  being  spread  broadcast  amongst  the 
educated  in  large  numbers. 

There  is  much  hope  for  China  when  we 
remember,  as  one  author  says,  that  "  the  Chinese 
are  great  prose-writers,  and  express  facts  con- 
nected with  all  their  civilisation  and  quasi-art  and 
science  with  much  accuracy.  Their  libraries  are 
stored  with  works  on  medicine,  astrology,  astro- 
nomy, geography,  hydrography,  and  religion. 
Many  of  their  works  are  mines  of  native  lore, 
and  display  an  ability  and  knowledge  which  might 
have  been  turned  to  better  account,  had  the  authors 
enjoyed  free  intercourse  with  the  men  of  science 
of  the  West.  The  Chinese  possess  a  power  of 
197  o 


m 
11 


sM 


:        ;   i 

;   i^^H 

:  1^1 

! 

»SH 

What  John  Chinaman  Reads 

observation  the  most  minute,  supplemented  by  a 
patient  and  persevering  spirit,  which  even  in  the 
absence  of  higher  qualities  will  serve  them  in  good 
stead  when  they  take  to  the  serious  studies  of 
Western  art  and  science." 

This  passage  was  written  some  thirty-three  years 
ago.  The  time  thus  foreshadowed  has  arrived,  and 
the  nation  is  now  availing  itself  of  those  advan- 
tages which  were  denied  it  for  so  many  centuries 
that  it  took  years  to  perceive  that  what  was  offered 
was   worthy  of  its   acceptance. 

A  new  branch  of  literature  has  sprung  up  within 
the  last  few  years  in  the  modem  newspapers,  and 
these  are  now  numbered   by  hundreds. 


198 


im 


CHAPTER   XVI 

John  Chinaman  Afloat 

»nH  ^  P*^P'^'  *^  "^=«.  the  waterways 

^trToIr  "'k^^''"^-  ««^^  "«  millions  Xo 
onTh.  .  T-  *""  '"^"^  "^«^  ^^e  more  spent 
feV  are T/f  "'"  '^*"  ^^"°"'  '-«  a"^-  With  us 
b!rth  o  r!  T^^^"  f^°-«  the  moment  of  their 
t^tZTr    .'^u"  '^'^-   ''"*  ^"  ">=  Chinese 

s^ niT^i  IT  *""  '^'^^  ''^^^♦'^  °"  ^°«e  small 
samp^  whtda  has  withdrawn  from  the  others.  One 

of  the  bamboo  semi-cylindrical  movable  covers 
over  2:  ""T  °'  ''^  """^  ''-  "-»  hauled  doJn 
wlue  theT'"'"  '°  '.'^'^  mid-portion  of  the  craft, 
while  the   busmess  of  admitting  another  nulintr 

snr "' t""  ^•'^"^  °"  tothrtrSL^d 

Ttoo  bL  f  "-^'"^  ^"""•*"''  '"•     H'^  mother 

rnT.K       u  '^^  ''°*'  '°  its  usual  rank    and 

mother   busy   plying  the   oar  again. 

A  British  sea-captain  has  authority  to  perform 
the  marriage  ceremony  while  at  sea;    but  i°™ 
199 


i 


i 
i 


m^ 


John  Chinaman  Afloat 

rarely  that  such  a  marriage  is  celebrated,  much 
less  that  it  is  a  sailor  who  is  thus  married. 
These  Chinese  boat  people,  however,  are  married 
on  the  water.  The  presents  precedent  to  the 
wedding  are  carried  in  boats  from  the  vessels 
one  party  to  the  union  resides  on  to  those  of  the 
other  party.  For  the  carrying  out  of  the  ceremony 
large  marriage-boats  are  to  be  hired  with  scarlet 
hangings,  together  with  music  of  wind  instruments, 
and  gorgeous  wedding  garments  of  the  propitious 
colour— scarlet— but  without  the  large  red  flowery 
sedan-chair  which  every  landswoman  must  ride 
in  once  as  a  bride,  but  never  again.  .With  all 
this  rejoicing  and  "  double  joy  "  the  little  boat- 
girl  is  wedded  to  her  mate  as  securely  on  the 
water  as  her  countrywoman  the  landsman's  bride 
on  terra  firma. 

And  last  of  all  when,  after  all  their  long  toil 
and  lives  of  hardship,  the  occupants  of  sampans, 
passage-boats,  and  junks  go  to  their  long  rest,  it 
is  from  the  craft  on  which  they  die— the  last  cere- 
monies having  been  performed— that  the  dead 
are  taken  on  shore,  and  in  the  huge  coffins 
laid  to  rest  in  the  same  mother  earth  as  the 
landsmen. 

Like  the  gondolas  of  Venice,  the  sampans  are 
the  cabs  in  Chinese  cities  and  towns  which  have 
a  sea  or  river  frontage;  the  cargo-boats  and 
lighters  are  the  drays  and  waggons  and  carts, 
which  are  utterly  unknown  in  the  south,  and  not 
only  take  off  goods  to  the  vessels  lying  in  the 


Water-traders 

harbour,  stream,  or  offingr,  hut  also  transport  goods 
^^d  merchand.se  from  one  part  of  the  sho're  to 

onSh  *".i''^  peripatetic  traders  and  hawkers 
on  land  have  the.r  counterpart  in  little  boats,  which 
ne^n/  '''"7  ,^°"""°dity  required  by  th;  boat 
people  and  those  who  have  a  river  frontage 
Your  garden  can  be  stocked  with  flowers,  or  p^ts 
placed  on  your  verandah  from  the  florist's  IMe 
boat  groceries  bought,  cloth  purchased  from  other 
tmy  httle  craft-miniature  little  stores,  where  we" 
n  gh  every  available  niche  of  room  is  occupied 
with  goods  for  sale.  occupiea 

Fish,  alive  and  floundering,  so  near  their  free- 

of  the  floating  fishmonger,  are  brought  to  the  side 
of  your  own  boat,  and  in  the  same  way  the  boat- 
man-greengrocer has  a  choice  of  the  season's 
vegetables  fresh  from  the  market-gardener' 
weedless  rows  brought,  we  were  about  sayTng 
o  your  very  door  itself.  The  oil-man,  too,  no 
ready  to  pour  his  oil  on  the  troubled  waters  but 
anxious  for  you  to  buy  it  for  lamp,  or  to  Z 
your  vegetables  and  fish  that  the  passing  gree^ 
gro^cer   and   fishmonger   have   just    suppLf  you 

Do  you  want  a  bowl  to  eat  your  rice  out  of,  or 

ItoTr  r  '"'/  """'  °'  ^"""^  °*her  treasure 
mto  at  the  stem  of  your  boat,  alongside  the  hen- 

seZ  wT°^  °",L°^r  *"  ^^'"^  '     ^^^  "O'^kery- 
seller  will  soon  be  along  paddling  his  tiny  craft 

301  ' 


( 

I 


John  Chinaman  Afloat 

weighed  down  to  the  water's  edge  with  his  frail 
ware.  After  him  will  come  the  floating  soup- 
kitchen,  with  its  pots  of  savoury  fish  or  other 
soup  boiling  over  its  furnaces  in  the  bottom  of 
the  boat.  And  when  most  of  these  have  ceased 
their  plying  up  and  down  the  river  .'or  trade,  and 
the  in!  y  blackness  of  the  water  succeeds  to  the 
light  of  day,  with  only  a  dancing  twinkling  ray  of 
light  flashing  now  and  then  across  the  gloom  on 
the  deep  stream,  in  unison  with  the  surroundings 
comes  the  eerie  cry  in  winter  of  the  seller  of  hot 
sugar-cane,  with  its  weird  effects,  as  it  dies  away 
in  a  long-drawn   tone  of  voice. 

All  these  and  many  others  by  day  and  night  row, 
or  scull,  or  paddle  up  and  down  the  river,  catering 
for  the  wants  of  multitudes,  who  thus  can  save 
the  trouble  of  going  on  shore  to  make  their 
purchases. 

Amidst  the  busy  xene  the  shrimp-catcher  is 
throwing  his  basket-traps  from  his  boat  in  long 
lines,  to  bring  up  these  toothsome  dainties  for 
the  market.  His  wife  rows,  and  he  casts  in  his 
traps,  occasionally  taking  his  share  at  the  oars. 
Ferry-boats  slowly  cross  the  river  with  their 
complement  of  a  dozen  passengers,  seated  in  two 
rows  facing  each  other,  as  in  a  London  'bus.  Each 
passenger  pays  two  cash  for  crossing  a  river  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  wide— that  is,  a  twentieth  of  a 
penny.  The  loads  of  the  coolies  are  put  in  the 
bows  of  the  boat,  where  also  occasionally  is  to 
be  seen  a  leper,  who  is  not  allowed  amongst  the 


Boat-life 


The  ferryman  yeeoo-loes  at  the 


other  passengers, 
stem. 

A  few  years  ago,  shooting  every  now  and  then 
a.nongst  these,  was  to  be  seen  a  small  sampan, 
vigorously  sculled  by  one  man  at  the  stem,  and 
rowed  by  another  at  the  bows.  On  one  of  the  seats 
mside  lay  the  bag  of  smuggled  opium  they  were 
hastening  to  deliver. 

Hundreds,  nay  thousands,  of  all  sorts  of  boats 
and  vessels  are  passing  up  or  down,  or  moored,  or 
anchored,  at  the  banks  or  further  out  in  midstream. 
Here  are  lying  long  boats  with  the  usual  matting 
covers  extending  nearly  the  whole  length  of  the 
narrow  craft,  which  has  tumed-up  bows  and  stem 
to  cope  with  the  rapids  it  has  shot  coming  down 
and  has  to  breast  going  up  one  of  the  long  water- 
ways of  China.     These  up-country  boats  consort 
together  (as  do  many  of  the  different  vessels  of 
one  sort  or  class),  and  a  score  or  two,  or  even 
larger  numbers  of  them,  may  be  seen  lying  along- 
side one  another  in  great  strings  near  the  banks 
There  are  certain  spots  where  each  kind  of  boat 
les,  and  those  who  know  the  river  and  its  wavs 
know  just  where  their  anchorages  are. 

The  different  kinds  of  boats-and  they  are 
numerous-which  may  be  classed  under  the  generic 
term  of  houseboats  also  gather  each  after  his  kind 
m  one  spot,  and  one  may  see  streets  of  them 
They  are  fastened  to  a  long  and  large  rope  cable 
whKh  runs  along  under  their  bows.  The  front 
platforms,  all  in  a  line,  look  like  the  sidewalk  in  a 
203 


\i\ 


John  Chinaman  Afloat 

street,  and  the  boat  people  pass  from  one  to  the 
other,  and  sit  out  in  the  open  smoking  and  chatting 
to  one  another  when  ihus  laid  up  in  harbour 
Ihe  sampans  and  little  boats  pass  up  and  down 
the  open  waterway  in  front  of  them,  like  cabs 
ma  street.  Sometimes  two  rows  face  each  other 
and  the  illusion  is  comple  e.  ' 

When  one  of  these  is  hired  for  a  day's  excur- 
sion or  a  long  trip  up-country,  it  comes  out  of 
Its  line,  and  all  is  bustle  for  the  voyage  The 
masters  wife  and  children  live  on  board  They 
occupy  the  stem,  where  the  galley  is  The 
travellers  who  have  hired  the  boat  take  the  whole 
centre  part,  .where  there  are  one  or  two  small  cabins 
and  two  or  three  large  compartments,  which  serve 
as  sitting,  or  dining-rooms,  and,  if  necessary, 
bedrooms  at  night. 

The  boatmen  navigate  the  boat  from  '^e  front 
platform,  where  in  one  kind  of  boat  a       ge  oar 
sticks  out  from  the  bows,  to  help  in  th    steering 
though  there  is  an  enormous  rtdder  at  the  steni 
as  well.     Galleries  run  along  both  sides  of  the 
vessel  on  which  the  boatmen  run  when  poling  or 
quanting "   (as  we  believe  it  is  termed  on  the 
Norfolk  Broads)  the  boat.   If  necessary  some  half- 
dozen  or  dozen  uf  the  crew  will  go  ashore  and 
track  her,  on  the  rough  excuse  for  a  path  on  the 
bank.        t  other  times,  as  an  auxiliary  force  or 
even  alone,  a  small  boat,  attached  as  a  tug  to  the 
large  vessel,  tows  her  in  front,  the  small  boat  being 
propelled    by    half    a    dozen   men    standing   and 
304 


Boa*  Joumejrs 

.Trni,"^'  ?"'  T  "''"  ""'*  ^*  •''^»'-  but  With  a 
Strong  and  good  wind  sail  is  hoisted,  and  so  by 
one  means  or  another  the  heavy,  huge  boat  pro- 
gresse,  with  fair  wind  or  against  foul,  unless  she 
perches  herself  h.gh  and  dry  on  a  sand-bank.  when. 

'"'^""J'  '"'P  "  '°"^'''  f'"""  '>"y  "aft  in  the 
neighbourhood  to  assist  in  getting  her  off 

family  who  have  hired  her.  the  wily  captain  and 
.,'t7T  ^^-^  "^^'^g^'i  to  load  bags  of  smuggled 
nt  fr  J^^^  Government  monopoly  in  ChLia) 
into  the  hold,  where  they  lie  perdues  till  the  oppor- 
ninity  for  disposing  of  them  has  arrived.  The 
Chinaman  has  always  an  eye  for  the  main  chance  • 
and  though  you  have  hired  his  boat,  he  manages 
unknown  to  you,  or  sometimes  before  your  very 
eyes,  to  take  a  cargo  on  board  as  well.  At 
nightfall  the  boat  anchors,  glad  to  get  near  a 
town  or  be  in  company  with  a  number  of  otheis 
tor  fear  of  the  enterprising  pirate. 

Then  there  were  the  enormous  flower-boats  of 
Canton,  which  are  almost,  if  not  quite,  a  thing 
of  the  past.  One  of  their  functions  was  to  serve 
for  the  dinner  parties  of  gentlemen  where,  as 
Chinese  customs  forbid  men  meeting  their  friends- 
wives  or  respectable  women  at  thf  dinner-table 
they  consorted  with  those  whom  their  wves  would 
no  receive  in  their  own  homes.  Standing  high 
out  of  tae  water,  they  formed  a  butt  for  the  wild 
cyclones  known  in  the  East  as  typhoons,  and  great 
was  the  wreck  when  one  of  greater  strength  than 
205 


■f 


!  i' 


f  »'■ 


4 


rT^!j 


John  Chinaman  Afloat 

usual  swept  over  the  waters.  As  these  boats 
ministered  to  vice,  official  prohibitions  were  ful- 
minated against  them  every  now  and  then,  and 
they  were  driven  from  pillar  to  post.  Finally, 
made  of  most  inflammabli.  materials  with  wood- 
carvings  of  considerable  dimensions,  a  great  fire 
has  swept  thciu  irot.y  well  out  of  existence,  when 
hundreds  of  tho  poor  inmates  perished.  Even 
before  this  the  largest  ones  were  disappearing, 
as  robbers  attacked  them  and  carried  off  the 
inmates  to  sell. 

Then  there  are  the  different  passage-boats,  as 
they  are  called,  which  have  occupied  the  position 
which  local  trains  do  in  our  countries  in  the  West. 
They  start  at  an  early  hour  in  the  morning  from 
certain  spots  on  the  river  front.  Most  of  them 
nowadays,  since  the  awakening  of  China  to  steam 
power,  are  towed  by  steam  launches.  They  carry 
hundreds  of  passengers,  who  are  packed  so  closely 
together  tliat  it  is  a  wonder  how  they  can  all 
get  in.  There  are  three  tiers  of  decks,  and  it 
is  a  mystery  how  the  Chinese  sit  for  hours  in 
these  cramped-up  oositions.  At  long  intervals  one 
capsizes,  and  the  loss  of  life  is  infinitely  worse 
than  in  a  railway  accident  in  England,  caged  up 
and  caged  in  as  most  of  the  passengers  are. 

Besides  these  passenger-boats  there  are  the 
large  two-masted  boats  which  take  the  place  of 
the  goods  train,  and  sail  away  for  two  or  three 
days'  journey,  laden  with  goods. 

But  time  would  fail  to  tell  of  the  thousand  and 
io6 


Sea  Voyages 

one  different  craft  that  are  to  be  found  on  th 
rivers,  canals,  creeks,  and  waterways  of  Chinr.. 
Each  town  often  rejoices  in  some  type  of  vessel 
slightly  different  trom  those  of  other  towns,  while 
at  the  same  time  using  many  that  are  common 
to  adjacent  parts. 

Besides  all  these  inner-water  craft,  there  are 
the  sea-going  fishing-smacks  and  trawlers  and 
numerous  fishing-junks  of  one  sort  and  another, 
which  supply  the  enormous  market  for  fish  in 
China,  dead  and  alive,  salt  and  fresh,  with  such 
a  variety  that  if  one  ate  everything  that  comes  out 
of  the  sea,  as  the  Chinese  do,  there  would  be 
a  new  kind  of  fish  for  every  day  in  the  year. 
For  they  range  from  the  baby  oyster  to  the  shark 
or  dog-fish,  from  the  toothsome,  semi-translucent 
white-rice  fish  to  the  green-boned  garupa. 

The  large  sea-going  junks   have   been   run   off 
the  coast  by  the  modem  steamer  ;   but  fifty  yc--<. 
ago  they  voyaged  to  Siam  and  the  Str?!  -  Xrni  . 
ments,  Java,  Sumatra,  the  Moluccas,    ;•.■  CVlebi-. 
the  Eastern  Archipelago,  and  all  that   ,  ,,^  f,f  Asia 
Some  centuries  ago  they  vied  with  us  u,  .;.„  v\  ..; 
in  the  long  ocean  voyages  they  took  to  Cey.  .-. 
India,  the  Persian  Gulf,  and  the  Red  Sea. 

In  the  olden  days  these  large  sea-going  Clmxse 
junks  came  down  from  Tientsin  and  the  north  of 
China  with  the  north-east  monsoon  to  Canton 
where,  if  they  did  not  go  further  down  the  coast 
and  on  to  foreign  parts,  they  lay  for  months  till 
the  south-west  monsoon  was  ready  to  fill  their 
207 


¥ 
■I 


.:  1 !   , 


John  Chinaman  Afloat 

enonnous  sails  and  take  them  home  again.  They 
were  three-  or  four-masted,  with  great  jaws  in 
front,  gapmg  mouth  at  bows,  two  eyes,  to  be  able 
to  see  their  way,  and  high  stem-sheets.  Such 
adventurous  voyages  are  now  things  of  the  past. 
These  junks  looked  cumbrous  and  unwieldy,  and 
It  is  a  wonder  they  weathered  the  dreadful  storms 
and  awful  typhoons  they  encountered  with  their 
large  matting  sails.  At  such  times  the  tendency 
was  for  every  sailor  to  become  captain,  and  the 
roar  of  the  storm  was  supplemented  by  the  pande- 
monium on  board,  whete  every  man  was  shouting 
orders,  and  all  was  confusion  and  clamour. 

Not  all  these  adventures  on  distant  voyages  were 
for  material  advantage.     Some  who  travelled  to 
these    far    regions    were    Buddhist    monks,    who 
journeyed  to  the  sacred  places  of  their  faith  and 
braved  seas  and  storms   to   bring  the  treasures 
of  their  sacred  writings  and  relics  of  Buddha  to 
the  lanri  they  were  conquering  for  their  religion 
The  even  greater  dangers  of  the  overland  route 
to  India  were  encountered  ;  Alpine  heights  scaled, 
precipices  crossed,  and  deserts  traversed,  where 
in  addition  to  the  physical  risks  met,  the  travellers' 
mmds  were  tortured  by  the  calls  of  demons  who 
bewitched  them  to  their  destruction. 

John  Chinaman  makes  a  good  sailor :  he  does 
not  get  drunk  ;  he  is  content  with  a  smaller  wage 
than  the  Englishman  ;  to  him  a  hard  board  is 
a  softer  mattress  than  a  hair  one,  or  even  one  of 
down  ;    he,  as  a  rule,  is  quiet  and  well-behaved 

308 


Chinese  Sailors 


when  he  is  not  treated  with  impudence,  super- 
ctaess,  and  injustice;  he  obeys  orders  ^d 
does  what  he  .s  told.  Mot  only  are  Chinese  largely 
employed  on  the  coasting  steamers  and  on  the 
™'?!!.  "  "carpenters  and  washermen,  but 
on  the  private  Imes  as  sailors. 

Fn^"''/!*  !!'"""'"  "'^  '°  ^  ^°™''  «  the  East 
r^ain  ^°''°°V"^^''i"K  ''Wps  to  take  them  home 
agam  A  number  of  Chinese  shops  are  estab- 
.hed   for   their   headquarters   in   or  about   Rat- 

found  m  L.verpool,  where  a  good  many  Ch.'.ese 
find  employment  as  -a  ishermen 

me!r?nV  V  r"'^''  "'°^'  ''"'""^  '°  '^^  Govern- 
ment and  history  records  not  a  few  expeditions 
beyond  the  seas,  to  gain  Formosa  and  fight  Japr 

T^     ^t."*''*'"  '^'"™''*  ^"^  ^^^  quest. 

I  be    Chma    Merchants    Company    is    one    of 

S  oM^e  cr'""""'"^'  followVthe  exploi  . 
mg  of  the  Chmese  coasts  and  rivers  by  foreign- 
owned  steamers.  Its  boats  run  uj>  and  do^l^e 
sea-coasts  and  up  some  of  Chinas  giant Tvers 
^ough  this  company  has  not,  like  the  JapaL^ 
or  for  that  matter,  their  own  ancestors  of  Lien 
and  med.^  1  jays,  penetrated  to  the  Far  West 
En;.-  h  I  "^  "Ptained  and  officered   by 

Englishmen.      Some     Chinese     merchants     ow^ 
steamers;    especially    is    this    the    case    in    th^ 

Chinese-owned  steam-launches  ply  on  the  inland 
309 


i  'i:        !  : 


l^f  f 


it 


John  Chinaman  Afloat 

waters  of  the  Empire.    These  are  entirely  manned 
and  run  by  the  Chinese. 

Large  rafts  slowly  float  down  the  rivers, 
managed  by  a  few  men,  who,  spending  days  and 
weeks  on  the  frail  structure  of  logs  and  beams, 
bring  them  down  from  far  up<ountry  where  the 
forest -destroying  propensities  of  John  Chinaman 
have  not  yet  exterminated  nearly  all  the  masses  of 
trees,  as  is  the  case  nearer  the  coast.  Huts  built 
on  the  moving  mass  shelter  the  primitive  naviga- 
tors, as,  borne  by  current  and  stream,  they  navigate 
the  hundreds  of  miles  to  the  towns  and  cities  where 
the  rafts  are  broken  up. 

At   every   landing-place   and   every   street-end 
that   abuts   on    the    river   in    a   great    city,   and 
wherever    there    is    a   chance    of   picking   up    a 
passenger  on  the  river  front,  there  is  to  be  found 
—shall  we  call  it?— a  stand  for  little  boats.     The 
boat-women  who  "  man  "  them  are  busy  chopping 
up  rounds  of  bamboo  into  sticks  for  incense-sticks, 
or  engaged  in  something  else  to  add  to  the  family 
income  when  no  fares  are  forthcoming.     .When- 
ever   a    probable    passenger    appears    in    sight, 
approaching  the   water's  edge,  a  perfect  uproar 
arises  as  the  wcanen  rush  to  the  bows  of  their 
little  boats,  beckoning  to  the  prospective  passenger. 
As  soon  as  they  learn  where  the  fare  wishes 
to  go,  they  name  their  price.     A  la  Chinois,  they 
ask  more  than  they  expect  to  get,  and  then  follows 
a  noisy  bargaining.     The  intending  hirer  offers 
less  than  he  is  willing  to  give.     One  boat-woman 
aio 


Hiring  a  Boat 

will  drop  her  price  a  trifle,  when  all  the  others 
follow  suit ;  and  so  it  goes  on,  one  side  lowering 
Its  terms  and  the  other  raising  theirs,  till  finally 
the  traveller  accepts  some  figure  named,  steps  on 

!^  Tkk  u*^  '^^*''  '^'^  *''""'  ^  if  by  magic, 
the  hubbub  mstantly  ceases,  and  quiet  succeeds 
the  babel  and  uproar. 


ilf 


It 


p  1  i 


CHAPTER   XVII 

How  John  Chinaman  Travels 

THE  modes  of  travelling  in  the  south  of  China 
are  by  boat  and  chair  ;  midway  up  the 
coast  wheelbarrows  come  into  use  ;  and  further 
up  in  the  north,  ponies,  donkeys,  or  mules,  litters, 
and  carts.  Jinrickshas  ply  for  hire  in  a  few 
places  where  roads  are  roads,  and  not  narrow 
tracks— such,  for  example,  as  in  Hong  Kong, 
Shanghai,  Hankow,  and  Macao.  They  are  found, 
too,  in  some  purely  Chinese  cities,  which  those 
places  are  not— notably  in  Nanking,  wh»re  a  broad 
carriage-road  has  been  made. 

The  beginning  of  a  network  of  railways  is  being 
cast  over  the  land,  in  the  way  of  a  few  main  lines 
and  some  local  ones.  Though  John  Chinaman 
does  not  evacuate  the  cities  and  towns  in  summer 
and  take  by  storm  the  seaside,  fly  to  the  moun- 
tains, or  dash  off  on  excursions  by  the  hundreds 
and  thousands,  he  yet  does  a  good  deal  of 
travelling,  or  at  least  some  Chinese  do.  Travellers 
on  'business  are  numerous.  If  a  dollar  or  two 
111 


Travel  Times 

can  be  made,  they  set  forth  eagerly  in  the  pursuit 
of  wealth ;  the  market -towns  are  invaded  on 
market-days  by  hosts  of  those  who  have  things 
to  sell,  or  who  wish  to  buy. 

But  the  great  time  to  see  a  regular  exodus 
from  cities  and  towns  is  the  season  for  visiting 
the  tombs,  in  April  especially.  Then  the  boats 
are  crowded  with  passengers  ;  every  route  home 
is  thronged  with  travellers  ;  the  hill-sides  are  black 
with  descendants  and  relatives  of  the  dead,  busily 
employed  in  worshipping  at  the  graves  on  these 
heights. 

If  John  Chinaman  falls  ill,  and  a  few  doses  of 
medicine  do  not  restore  him  again,  he  slips  off 
home  to  the  country,  where  he  can  die  amongst 
his  friends,  or  be  revivified  by  his  native  air. 
Thousands  and  tens  of  thousands  have  to  travel 
to  examination  centres,  and  on  reaching  the  higher 
stages  of  their  education,  ev«n  go  to  Peking  from 
distant  j>arts  of  the  Empire.  Officials  have  to 
travel  from  one  end  of  the  Empire  to  the  other 
to  take  up  their  appointments.  Insurrection  and 
rebellion  send  troops  from  one  province  to  another. 
Theatrical  troupes  tour  the  country  with  vessels 
laden  with  their  scanty  scenery,  properties,  and 
muhitudinous  and  gorgeous  robes,  costumes,  and 
apparel. 

Unless  he   is  a  high  official,   with   trunks   by 

the  score  for  wives,  and  children,  and  servants, 

and     attendants,     John     Chinaman's     travelling 

arrangements    are    simple.      Like    the    man    in 

ai3  P 


V     I 

II 


'fli 


■  .■i  fi 

'mm 

J 

How  John  Cbinaman  Travels 

Scripture,  he  takes  up  his  bed  and  walks.  The 
bed  consists  of  a  mat,  a  leathery  papier-mich*, 
hard  pillow,  or  even  an  earthenware  one,  a  red 
blanket,  and  a  cottra-stuffed  quilt ;  but  in  summer 
even  less.  He  may  also  take  a  teapot,  some  cakes, 
perhaps  a  brass  basm,  a  small  towel,  a  quantity 
of  clothes,  a  pipe  and  a  fan.  The  bedding  is 
in  a:  roll,  and  the  rest  in  a  large  basket  or  small 
trunk. 

Arrived  on  the  boat  or  steamer,  he  selects  an 
eligible  spot,  spreads  out  his  mat,  takes  off  his 
shoes,  and  squats  or  reclines,  while  the  hours  slip 
by  unheeded,  gets  hot  water  to  wipe  over  his  face 
and  brush  his  teeth  in  the  morning,  takes  his 
meals  on  board,  and  generally  enjoys  himself  in 
a  placid  manner,  smoking,  chatting  to  his  fellow- 
passengers,  or  listening  to  the  quack  who  harangues 
cleverly  and  eloquently  by  the  hour,  or  he  reads, 
or  listlessly  does  nothing— an  art  the  Oriental  can 
carry  to  perfection.  The  sedan-chair  is  a  more 
expensive  mode  of  travel,  and  not  every  one  can 
afford  it. 

It  is  a  sight  near  a  city  or  market-town  to 
see  men,  women,  and  children  hastening  to  the 
former,  or  carrying  marketable  articles  to  the 
latter,  as  they  walk  with  their  half-trot  along  the 
high  banks  of  the  river  ;  for  John  Chinaman  can 
go  at  a  good  amble  when  loaded  with  wares,  or 
carrying  his  own  luggage  on  a  journey.  But  the 
gentleman,  and  occasionally  the  lower  classes  of 
society,  indulge  in  the  chair. 
314 


The  Chair 

circumstances  surrounding  hb^Sinue  "^7  '^^ 
Ke^aSl^r-  -V  s;;rSHtIt:r:;^ 
four   whirr.  '^       ^  "°*  ^'P'''*  »«>  «°«  than 

be  c;„s;;i^ro:  SThe  t-  '^'^-"  - 

in  the  procession    tZ        l"        ,  ">signia  carried 

colour  ofTichat  ^",1  J'".  ■"*'"■"'•  '••' 
&c.,   all   proclaim     h.  *'    •""    ""'^°"n. 

^„       procla.™    the  greatness   of   the    "great 

--^d°tS'LTr%r.r'^^"'-^ 

Sliding  one.  as  in  Canton  Ulre  cL  ""^V  "  " 
an  art.  With  an  ordtaarTin^i  I  ''^*"-^"n^'n«  is 
carriers  keep  ^d  1^  ^"''"'"^"*'  «  "«^  city  the 
to  clear  tSZtnT/  '  r^"^'""  °^  "'«^. 
their  fellorir^e  tft?rt^'''?"'  °'  "^™ 
obstructions,    whi  e    retoln,.  °^  '"'P^   ^"^ 

These  sing/song'lVrr "deTtoT'.  '"'• 
tions  to  careli.«   »,  *  '°  ^y  admoni- 

bearers  ""  ''^'^^""^  ^"^  '°  other  chair- 

o/us''fo^hTLfn"'''B\?''^'='^^''"   "«-'• 

steps  down  ,.'  These  J  ?  "^"^  '  "  "  ^^-o 
i"gs    punctuate    the    „T  ,  '"""^''  "'^  ^<^  ^^n>- 

narrow  la^es  Lt  t-  ^  *'^'"  "'™"^''  '"'^ 
Jbronged  wl^'t^su^rg^^^rr^'^"  ''''  "^ 
ful  edging  or  bar-lr;„o^    f    ?  ^''^  '""st  care- 

one  cl^ir  mJ^ts  ^Xr    .'''"'^  '^  '^'^''"'^  *ben 
^e  Passit^  of  v2*iL'^^'  '"'!i  "rcumstances. 
"«  oi  vessels  m  the  Suez  Canal  is  nothing 


"    l?f 


'Ml    'i 

m 


Row  John  Chinaman  Travels 


to  it,   and  traffic   is   suspended   while  one  chair 
acrapes  past  the  other. 

In  country  districts,  or  for  country  excursions, 
the  sedan-chair  presents  a  striking  contrast  to  its 
superior  city  cousin  ;  it  is  then  town  versus  country 
with  a  vengeance.  The  former  is  fairly  comfort- 
able, with  a  cushion  to  sit  on,  and  possibly  one 
for  the  back,  albeif  the  cushions  are  almost  as 
hard  as  the  soft  side  of  a  board.  There  are 
wooden  shelves  at  the  sides  for  the  arms,  and 
a  loose  slip  of  polished  wood  is  ready  also  to  be 
placed  in  front  of  one,  to  reach  from  side  to  side 
—from  one  arm-rest  to  the  other,  to  rest  one's 
elbows  on.  Thus  the  passenger  is  enabled  to  lean 
forward  and  better  view  the  constant  panoramic 
scene  before  him. 

A  constant  kaleidoscopic  transmutation  takes 
place  as  the  animated  scene  dissolves  itself  and 
the  living  cinematographic  display  unfolds.  Long 
vistas  of  gorgeous  signboards  in  gold,  vermilion, 
and  green  open  out  in  continual  succession,  a  feast 
of  colour.  The  bright  rays  of  a  fiery  tropical  sun 
are  tempered  by  loose  boards  or  trelli  irk,  or 
awnings  covering  the  shaded  streets.  iits  of 

sui.Ught  percolate,  settling  in  radiant  gle^^ms  on 
any  non-absorbent  object,  and  relieving  from 
gloom  anything  they  touch,  though  the  general 
effect  in  many  a  street  is  that  oi  a  shaded  half- 
toned  light. 

It  is  a  bustling  scene  that  meets  the  eye  as 
one  is  whisked  through  some  main  thoroughfare. 

3l6 


.    1 

I 

•        '  is 

1 

w 


'  v 


i  I 


lllj 


A    I'KKHIKMIM; 


Through  Crowded  Streets 

cerulean  b"ue  L  '  tin  l""""  °^  •'^''"  ''""  °f 
and  other  ZoZs.Ze  S": ^''^'"^  '"  ^-P'« 
agricultural  produce  and  'lu"  "?""  "^""^'"^ 
and  elbowed  bv  fi,hl  "^  ^*"'  ""e  fields, 

of  water.  Not  a  '"^^m  *"•  ''"*  «"»  '"  '""s 
through  the  thick  ,  "I,  '"'".'^  "'««"»  ""^^de" 
shop,1oextor?by.her:;„;:^,^;"^  '"^  """P  ^^'- 
cash  or  two  •    wMl        '"°"°'''"<»"»  vvhinc  3  stray 

With  ael/Si^e?  U^a-S'  "'^If""  ^"^""P' 
ahns  with  impudencTand  °  .  ''°""''''  '^'='"""''» 
wreck  of  humwitv  wL  f    .  **^"«nce.      Anon   a 

rotting,  toe'sT  LT  rut  ";"^!i'"''  '^^  ^-'■ 
elegantly  dressed  merchS  wh  "J  '"'^  "'*''  ""= 
of  the  distorted  a^d  swollen  ft.  'J'l'  ''"'  ^'^'" 
leper.  The  burden-carrTe  "f  llll°^.  ""=  ^"^'^'^ 
push  by.  heraldine  th.      %  '"'"^'^"'^^'asses 

cries,  some  To  c^far  the  '„  Tk'/  '"^'^  '""'"'d 
others  to  ease  H^^  \  ^^^^  ^^^°"'  'hem,  and 
Those  in  pa's  «„v  on  *  °'  ''"'  ''^'y  '-^s. 
hinder  maS  res,S[ds  IV  ™""^'  <^"«'  «=  'e 
the  one  in  from  ^  ^™"''  '''  *'«=  <=-"^  of 

-ia^TeLiTxrs;  %[:-iT  -' 

heavily  buri  L  ,ht  r^'^"^'^'^''  ^^  'he 
netting  in  opSe  ways  tT  '*"■"""'  ">''  ^'^ 
vehicles  in  the  south  exceptor'!  """  °°  ""'=«'*'* 
P^h».ivewheelbarrow:^S^yt^^%:--- 


:^lii. 


Jll 


m 


How  John  Chinaman  Travels 

tion  of  the  wheel,  in  protest  at  the  slabs  of  granite 
on  it.  And,  wonder  of  wonders,  of  late  years  there 
has  come  the  bicycle,  ridden  by  some  young 
Chinaman,  with  queue  tucked  into  his  leggings, 
and  piloting  his  course  through  the  surging  crowd 
with  infinite  care  and  constant  ringing  of  bell. 
Fancy  a  bicycle  running  on  a  London  sidewalk, 
and  the  reader  will  have  some  idea  of  what  this 
means.  Narrow  as  the  way  is,  congested  with 
the  streaming  multitudes,  yet  its  boundaries  are 
encroached  on  at  both  sides  by  the  overflowing 
shops,  especially  the  grocers'  and  rice-dealers', 
whose  baskets  of  grain  cross  the  thresholds  and 
infringe  on  the  streets. 

Nor  is  this  all,  for  the  city  traveller's  chair 
ahnost  brushes  over  the  petty  trader's  little  store 
of  goods,  which  are  set  out  in  tempting  array  on 
the  long  stone  slabs  which  pave  the  side  of  the 
streets  where  vacant  from  the  overflowing  shops. 
Here  the  seller  of  small  brochures,  ballad-books, 
does  a  good  trade  with  his  red  and  brown  paper 
pamphlets  spread  on  the  stones,  or  hung  in  rows  on 
the  blue  brick  house  wall  behind. 

But  the  neatest  and  most  attractive  stall  is  that 
of  the  petty  curio-dealer,  with  his  little  array  of 
odds  and  ends,  bric-i-brac,  old  curiosities,  objects 
of  vertu,  a  string  of  centuries-old  cash,  a  few 
corns  two  thousand  years  old,  to  empty  the  purse 
of  the  numismatist,  vases  which  make  the  con- 
nobseur's  mouth  water,  an  ancient  metal  mirror. 
When  the  space  will  allow,  this  curio-dealer  will 
ai8 


street  Scenes 


particular  v^,:"'';;""  """^''  »"<*  °"«"  of  „o 

and  where  the  shor.  v-  ,,;.,>  ""\''°°'-*ay, 
in  front,  there  .. .:;;:.;..  otZ^Zll^lr^''' 
spread  out  for  »ul.  v   ti,.^  ,•      ™/^"  °/ *"" 

p^rx-^-'-'-o^trte^rt 

-^rep4^2^ie.^l--S 

P^rched^p  4  thrS  ofTh?  r  "'"  ^°'  ''°- 
.honlders'noVieSg  Irt^;^"?'^^''^-^^^^ 

areltyH^LtaS,  TSI  T'?;'  """"^^ 
sees  in  Enirland    «~1  ^  v    "'"''''  °"*  "ever 


In  place,  the  soHaJled  road  is  better 


I  I 


319 


though 


How  John  Chinaman  Travels 


narrow,  and  it  may  be  at  times  paved  with  slabs 
of  granite,  which  originally  were  placed  level— 
at  least  one  must  give  that  amount  of  credit  to  the 
makers  of  the  road ;  but  now  in  many  cases 
sloping  at  different  angles  and  presenting  edges 
often,  instead  of  smooth  surfaces  and  joints.  To  A 
certain  extent  this  is  even  the  case  inside  the  cities. 
In  our  own  lands,  if  tired  from  a  walk,  it  is 
generally  the  length  of  the  way  that  has  fatigued 
us.  But  the  wayfarer  on  a  Chinese  street  or  road 
finds  the  unevenness  is  what  tires  him,  for  on  a 
return  from  a  walk  one  feels  feet  and  legs  wearied 
by  the  constant  sv,  .  rises  of  level,  and  the  vain 
attempts  to  adapt  ouvoelf  to  such  an  imusual  state 
of  the  constantly  unexpected.  This  irregularity 
of  the  paving  proves  much  more  wearing  than 
the  length  of  the  walk  ;  for  at  nearly  every  foot- 
fall the  steps  have  to  be  adapted  to  the  inequalities 
of  the  surface,  as  well  as  to  the  slipperiness  in 
certain  streets  leading  to  the  water-side,  or  from 
or  to  a  well,  pwmg  to  the  spillings  from  the  overfull 
buckets  of  the  water-carriers. 

In  the  country  there  is  little  or  no  attempt  to 
carry  the  road  along  in  a;  straight  course.  It  winds 
and  meanders  and  winds  back  in  a  most  wearisome 
manner. ;  nor  is  there  any  grading  attempted ;  it 
rises  and  falls  abruptly  and  without  any  warning, 
according  to  the  nature  of  the  ground-surface. 
Now  it  rises  on  a  bank,  and  now  it  sinks  again  to 
a  lower  level.  It  widens  at  times,  and  then  narrows 
again.    In  the  north,  for  the  vehicular  traffic,  the 


The  Wheelbarrow 

roads  have  to  be  broader  than  in  the  south   where 
here  are  generally  no  wheeled  vehicles  except  Me 
rough  quarryman's  wheelbarrow  ^ 

In  the  central  coasul  regions  the  wheelbarrow 
he  n.~"  r*"^  °'  conveyance,  not  on  ™ 

Sed'  unr'thi"'  '°i  '^'f  °'  ''^'^'  -•'-h  »" 

race  in  ".  ''''^'""^'  '^'"n'sy-looking  con- 

rhyme  sa;"  :!"'"'  "°"''°"^  "■-"-•     ^he  old 

"The  roads  were  so  muddy 
And  the  lanes  were  so  narrow 
I  took  my  wife  home  on  a  wheelbarrow." 

But  in  Shanghai  and  neighbourhood,  as  well  as  in 
and   around   other   citipe     n,;.         ' 

transport  is  largely  used  bvh^K '""""'   ""°'^"   "^ 
I  Jbl     1        ^eiy  used  by  both  men  and  women 

whel  °"   everything  Chinere,   howevlr    the 

wheel      Tt,  ^^  structure  mounted  on  the 

the  box  i  r"  '"''  "'""^"  "«  »«  ''""died  imo 
W"  £    rr/  P°«r  °f  -  English  wheel! 

Hngo:;r  the  edS: Ttt'  ""  ''^!:  '^^'  '^"^- 

jatp.«o^o.r;hS^-sj?:^:S 

m  the^Chmese  dastant  cousin  t„  the  English  wheeK 

To  begin  with,  the  two  are  alit^  m  i,     • 
shafts  or  handles  and  one  wheel      but  th"^  T 

331  '   ' 


jir 


';  >l 


<  i' 


,     1  H* 


i 


How  John  Chinaman  Travels 

for  the  wheel  is  in  the  centre  of  the  machine.  On 
both  sides  of  the  wheel  is  built  up  a  stracture 
which  affords  not  only  a  seat  on  each  side  for 
from  two  to  four  persons  1 1  sit  on,  but  also  a  back 
to  rest  against.  The  whole  of  this  portion  of  the 
wheelbarrow  is  made  of  rails  or  open  woodwork, 
and  besides  the  projecting  seats,  it  forms  a  frame- 
work over  the  centre  wheel.  A  cord  hangs  down 
on  each  side  below  the  seat,  for  the  passengers  to 
rest  their  feet  on  or  hitch  their  heels  into,  if  they 
have  any,  for  the  Chinese  ordinary  shoe  has  but 
a  rudimentary  heel,  if  any  at  all. 

The  wheelbarrow-man  has,  one  would  think,  a 
hard  time  of  it,  especially  when  half  a  dozen  mill- 
girls  go  out  for  a  ride.  He  holds  the  handles,  and 
a  strap  across  the  shoulders  eases  some  of  the 
weight.  His  vehicle  needs  careful  guiding  and 
steering  and  balancing,  as  it  is  rather  a  ticklish 
craft,  especially  when  it  is  piled  high  with  bales 
and  bundles  and  packages  of  goods.  He  is  in  an 
awkward  predicament  when  one  falls  off,  or  nearly 
so.  The  progress  is  slow  with  a  heavy  burden— a 
rapid  foot-pace-and  is  all  right  for  the  passenger, 
except  when  bumping  down  two  or  three  steps. 
The  European,  however,  after  one  trial,  to  be  able 
to  say  he  has  ridden  in  a  wheelbarrow,  prefers 
the  easier  and  more  rapid  ricksha,  where  the  man 
runs  along  with  this  miniature  gig,  and  rapidly 
reaches  his  destination. 

In  Shanghai,  with  its  broad  roads  in  the  foreign 
concessions,  the  Chinaman  copies  the  foreigner  in 

323 


'   \I:J 


Railwasrs 

his  luxurious  carriage,  more  comfortable  than  any- 
thing John  Chinaman  has  evolved  for  travel  in  the 
long  ages  past,  and  conforms  so  much  to  foreign 
customs  as  to  take  his  wives,  sons,  and  daughters 
out  for  a  ride  with  him.  The  streets  are  too 
narrow  yet  in  most  Chinese  cities  in  the  central 
and  southern  parts  of  the  Empire  for  wheeled 
traffic. 

The  railway,  though  long  resisted,  has  at  length 
penetrated  to  the  Central  Empire,  and  if  one 
chooses,  one  may  ride  all  the  way  from  London 
(with  the  exception  of  crossing  the  English 
Channel)  via  Siberia  to  Peking  and  Tientsin  in 
the  north  of  China,  or  even  go  on  to  Hankow,  in 
the  centre  of  the  Empire,  and  before  a  great  many 
years  even  down  to  the  south,  to  Canton  itself. 
From  Shanghai  one  may  go  to  Nanking,  one  of  the 
ancient  capitals  of  China.  From  Canton  one  may 
penetrate  by  rail  in  two  directions— west,  as  far 
as  Sam  Shui,  some  thirty  odd  miles,  or  north,  on 
the  slowly  being  constructed  Canton-Hankow  Rail- 
way, some  forty  or  fifty  miles,  though  every  year 
will  bring  a  further  mileage  on  this  line  into  use. 
Hong  Kong  and  Canton  are  also  now  being 
connected  by  the  iron  road. 

China  finds  it  a  slow  process  to  construct  rail- 
ways, when  she  insists  on  no  foreign  interference 
or  foreign  capital  being  subscribed  or  loaned  to 
her.  A  further  trouble  in  the  south  has  been  that 
the  people  have  been  afraid  of  trusting  their  money 
to  Government  ofBciak,  and  the  mandarins  have 


How  John  Chinaman  Travels 

met  this  attitude  with  too  dictatorial  and  over- 
bearing a  manner  in  their  dealings  with  the  people 
in  regard  to  railway  matters. 

Two  of  the  great  drawbacks  to  travel  in  China, 
however,  are  the  robber  and  the  pirate.  The 
danger  arising  from  them  is  at  times  considerable. 
The  author  has  had  three  fiiends  or  acquaintances 
killed  by  Chinese  pirates  at  different  times  and 
places,  but,  thotigh  threatened  by  them  at  one  time, 
he  has  never  actually  been  attacked.  Certain  dis- 
tricts of  the  country  are  infested  with  them  ;  at 
times  other  districts  will  go  immune  for  years 
from  their  depredations.  It  takes  considerably 
from  the  pleasure  of  travel  to  know  that  at  any 
moment  one  may  be  brought  face  to  face  with  a 
murderous  crew. 

Travel  by  native  houseboat  is  a  most  pleasant 
though  slow  mode  of  proceeding  up  or  down  the 
rivers.  Land  journeys  entail  sleeping  in  native 
inns,  which  beggar  description  for  filth  and 
vermin. 


CHAPTER   XVIII 


How  John  Chinaman  Dresses 

T  MAGINE  a  people  going  about  in  pyjamas  (and 
A  badju)  the  whole  day  long,  and  one  will  get 
some  Idea  of  the  common  costume  of  the  male 
section  of  the  nation;  for  a  loose,  baggy  pair  of 
trousers  and  a  loose-fitting  jacket  form  the  basis 
of  Chmese  costume  for  both  men,  women,  boys, 
and  g,rls.  The  hot  climate  makes  everything 
tight-fittmg  an  abomination,  except  when  the  Ion? 
hot,  weary  months  give  place  to  the  cool,  refreshing 
wmter.  Then  what  are  called  collars  appear-/  / 
something  in  the  way  of  a  band  to  fasten  round 
the  neck,  primarily  to  keep  it  warm,  made  of  satin 
or  fur.     The  official  collar  is  a  stiff  satin  one 

But  to  go  back  to  jacket  and  trousers.  They 
are  even  wanting  altogether  at  times  in  the  case 
of  labourers,  when  a  man  will  appear  in  a  costume 
or  rather  no  costume,  which  in  our  land  of  prudery 
would  land  him  in  the  hands  of  the  police  in  no 
time;  for  occasionally  a  man  hard  at  work  pound- 
mg  nee  or  carrying  it  through  the  streets  wUl  be 

»25 


1; 


^^1:] 


I  li 


How  John  Chinaman  Dresses 

seen  with  nothing  but  9.  loin-cloth  on.  It  is  a 
common  thing  in  hot  weather — in  fact,  most 
common— to  see  John  Chinaman  with  nothing  on 
but  his  trousers,  and  these,  if  he  b  busy  at  work, 
will  be  rolled  up  as  far  as  they  will  go.  Short 
trousers  are  even  made  that  scarce  reach  to  the 
knees.  The  shopkeeper,  especially  after  his  meal, 
will  often  be  seen  sitting  at  his  counter  in  this  airy 
costtmie,  or  want  of  costume.  In  fact,  it  is  the 
Chinese  equivalent  of  "  shirt-sleeves,"  but  the  shirt 
itself,  or  even  anything  below  it,  is  wanting ;  and 
this,  from  the  heat  of  the  climate,  is  even  more 
often  resorted  to  than  the  throwing  off  of  a  coat 
in  our  lands. 

There  is  no  indecency  in  all  this  want  of  dress, 
or  with  it;  for  the  Chinese  are  a  modest  people, 
and  in  the  south,  even  on  the  hottest  summer's  day, 
no  woman  would  appear  in  such  attire  or  want 
of  attire.  In  the  north,  where  the  heat  is  more 
excessive  for  a  short  period  than  it  is  in  the  south, 
the  women  when  inside  the  courtyards  of  their 
houses  do  imitate  this  state  of  undress,  to  the  extent 
of  throwing  their  jackets  open  or  off.  Children, 
especially  in  country  districts,  may  be  seen  toddling 
about  with  absolutely  nothing  on;  but  after  a  few 
years  of  this  freedom  from  the  trammels  of  dress, 
they  have  to  conform  to  a  semblance  of  modesty, 
and  appear  properly  clothed,  according  to  the 
Oriental  idea  of  propriety.  In  the  case  of  the  girls 
quite  enough  is  put  on  to  satisfy  even  the  Occi- 
dental in  his  idea  of  what  is  right  and  fit. 


Jackets 

All  sorts  of  changes  are  rung  upon  the  founda- 

^1"^   "!,*"'   ^"^^"^  "PP«'   """J   ""her 
gannents,  and  in  the  aise  of  the  humble  classes  of 
•ociety  a  multiplicity  of  these  garments  i,  piled 
on  or  peeled  off.  layer  after  layer,  as  the  exigencies 
of  the  weather  demand.     Half  .  dozen  jackets  of 
one  sort  or  another,  and  several  pairs  of  trousers 
may  be  used  to  keep  out  the  cold  of  winter.     A 
long  gabardme  or  robe  is  the  frock-coat  of  the 
m*ss  of  the  people,  and  so  common  is  blue  its 
colour,  especially  in  summer,  that  a  book  has  been 
^.tt«  with  the  by  no  me«s  inappropriate  title 
of   Th,  Land  of  the  Blue  Gow,,    Often  noth- 
ing is  worn  over  this;    but  a  jacket,  when  the 
wither  requires  it.  or.  in  the  case  of  well-to-do. 
well-dressed  people,  a  Chinese  waistcoat  may  be 
seen   over   it.      In   accordance  with   the   ChLse 
general    rule    of   everything    being   done    in    an 
opposite  way  to  our  own.  the  waistcoat  is  an  upper 
garment.  "J'F='^ 

But  to  return  again  to  the  jacket.     It  generally 
buttons  round  under  the  shoulder  or  armfas  does 
he   long  gown  mentioned  above,  thus  giving  a 
Upel.  which  does  not.  however,  fold  back      But 
there  are  jackets  and  jackets.     Some  are  close- 
htfng,  and  one  variety  of  these  has  buttons  all 
the   way   down   the   front   worthy   of   an   English 
buttons,    though  Chinese  buttons,  as  a  rule   are 
more  modest  thin  in  the  West.    They  are  often  of 
small   cord,   knotted   into   a  conventional   shap^ 
'  By  Mrs.  Archibald  Little. 
327 


:  1 

i 


How  John  Chinaman  Dresses 

Round  brass  ones  are  also  common,  and  different 
ornamental  styles  are  used,  the  boat-girls  delight- 
ing in  half-dollars  or  ten -cent  pieces. 

Double  jackets— 1'.#.,  jackets  lined  or  padded 
with  cotton-wool — serve  to  keep  John  Chinaman 
warm  in  the  wintry  blasts,  fresh  from  the  ice  and 
snow  fields  of  Siberia  and  Manchuria,  when  he 
cannot  afford  furs.  Of  these,  if  his  purse  allows 
him,  he  has  a  good  variety,  and  some  of  them 
cheap.  Unyeaned  lambs'  wool  is  a  favourite  ; 
foxes'  fur  and  other  furs  give  him  a  variety  of 
choice  and  price. 

Once  more  we  hark  back  to  the  jackets.  It 
is  not  every  one  that  wears  a  waistcoat,  but  it 
looks  as  if  the  original  John  Chinaman  who  de- 
veloped the  idea  took  his  jacket,  cut  off  the  sleeves 
well  out  from  the  body  of  the  jacket,  leaving 
gaping  armholes,  shortened  it,  and  tightened  it 
round  his  body  (though  it  is  still  loose  enough  in 
its  fit),  and  then  had  the  original  tj-pe  from  which 
the  future  waistcoats  were  developed.  A  sleeve- 
less, waistcoat-like  jacket  is  sometimes  worn,  with 
nothing  else  on  the  body.  It  occasionally  buttons 
down  the  front,  as  some  of  the  jackets  do.  The 
woman's  jacket  is  longer  than  the  man's,  and 
buttons  under  the  shoulder  and  arm. 

As  to  the  trousers,  they  flap  about  loose,  looser 
than  our  Jack  Tars'  round  the  ankle,  and  looser 
than  any  self-respecting  Briton  would  wear  his 
fearfully  and  wonderfully  made  pyjamas  of  all 
colours  of  the  rainbow.  This  frivolity  of  taste 
338 


Colour  In  Dress 


forei™  fiZ     1,     ^  """^''^  *«=  made  by  a 

Chinese  charactsTn  .he  so  e7To"cr''*^^  '" 
throw  anything  with  w^Hng  t  to  the  t'rolV'" 
street  where  it  would  be  trodden  undX  The 
«^o.  wHtten  word  is  .oo.ed  uptt'a  Jc^! 

--x^'di::j-f-i;:-^sr 

bemg  mourning,  is  only  for  underwear  in.he^^h 

they  would  otherJse  wear      A  "  ,n      ^'™'"'' 

sionalJy  be  seen  wift         u-  *"  '"^y  '^<^- 

•aiJy  De  seen  with  a  white  jacket  on;    but  he 

«9  g 


:  1 


^^1 


How  John  Chinaman  Dresses 

is  not  properly  dressed.  An  exception  must  be 
made  to  this  broad  statement,  for  a  white  grass - 
cloth  long  robe  is  quite  en  rigle  for  a  teacher  or 
other  gentleman,  and  white  sheepskin  furs  are 
worn.  Thus  it  would  appear  thaf.  material  makes 
all  the  difference.  Blue  is  to  a  large  extent  a 
predominant  colour;  but  as  Nature  is  profuse  in 
her  scheme  of  colours  in  the  gorgeous  East,  so 
man  vies  with  her  in  her  profusion  and  brilliancy 
of  hues,  and  with  prodigal  hand  he  dresses  himself 
in  glorious  tints. 

In  England  men  have  given  up  the  con- 
test with  women  as  to  who  shall  deck  them- 
selves the  more  profusely  in  the  colours  of  the 
rainbow,  and  retired  in  favour  of  the  fairer  sex, 
content  that  they  should  have  the  monopoly  of 
adornment.  In  the  Far  East  man  still  retains 
the  supremacy,  though  woman  runs  him  close  in 
this  respect.  The  long  robes  of  gentlemen  are  of 
many  colours— not  that  a  Joseph's  coat  of  many 
colours  is  worn  by  men,  though  children  often 
wear  a  patchwork  jacket  which  reminds  one  of 
that  Scripture  character.  Each  garment  is  gener- 
ally a  monotone  with  men.  The  robe  will  be 
of  one  of  the  many  shades  of  purple,  or  of  blue, 
or  of  pure  white;  while  brown  and  many  other 
shades  also  appear  in  the  wardrobe  of  a  Chinese 
gentleman.  His  jacket  over  his  robe  will  be  of 
some  other  colour  ;  so  that  the  sight  of  a 
crowd   of    well-dressed    Chinese    is    a    feast    for 

the   eyes. 

230 


Splendour  and  Poverty 

si^brSeToTeTeeV'Tr  """  "^^  ' 
down   the  Jacket  o    Z;  oj^^tle'^r  '"'^'"^ 

and  the  Chinaman  is  not  always  particular^  to 

chj^r^i-rrr^°r?r^;: 

EngLshm^  «  a  similar  state  often  does'  (though 

and  nasty,  except  in  winter.    tL  ordinarf  Cht  ' 

cTS.es   ""'  "  ^^'^^"'  °'  '^'^  cleanly'      I  of  lis' 
Clothes  as  many  amone  us  are  •    h,,/  ^u 

.annents  are  often  wasLd!  iL^^t^l^^: 

331 


; 


f;i 


'•  i 


MKIOCOrr  MSOIUTION  TBT  CH*n 

(ANSI  and  ISO  TEST  CHART  No.  2) 


lit 


HA 


12.2 


1^ 


JJ5  ill  U    i  L 


A 


i    /APPLIED  IIVK3E    In. 

1653   EqsI   Main   StrmI 

Roeh««t«r,   ^4•■   Yofli         U609        USA 

(71«)   ♦S2  -  0300  -  Pfon. 

(716)   2U-  &q«9  -Foa 


Ho'w  John  Chinaman  Dresses 

less  to  appreciate  the  advantages  of  a  good  wash, 
even  in  what  is  considered  superior  society,  though 
others  are  as  clean  as  one  could  wish;  but  purse 
and  climate  are  rather  against  it. 

There  are  clean  Chinese,  as  clean  and  sweet 
as  any  man.  But  the  Chinese  beggar  is  caked 
with  dirt  and  crawling  with  vermin.  Indeed, 
vermin  are  often  looked  upon  as  a  necessary  evil, 
a  condition  of  things  which  cannot  be  avoided.  A 
Chinese  preacher  enunciated  the  opinion  that  these 
parasites  on  the  Chinese  body  were  sent  or  per- 
mitted by  Providence  as  a  trial  for  patience,  so 
that  virtue  might  have  her  perfect  work.  A  not 
uncommon  sight  in  the  streets  is  to  see  two  Chinese 
coolies  (or  other  Chinese  of  that  class)  engaged 
in  the  interesting  pursuit  of  these  preyers  on  human 
kind.  Garments  are  prodtrced  by  the  lower  classes 
in  the  open  air,  and,  evidently  with  no  sense  of 
shame,  are  given  a  careful  scrutiny  along  the  seams 
and  other  likely  hiding-places  to  discover  the 
hidden  haunts  of  the  tormentors.  Bed-boards  are 
also  brought  out  into  the  street  and  thumped  end- 
wise on  the  pavement,  to  dislodge  those  which  hide 
in  the  cracks  during  the  day  and  plague  man 
during  the  night. 

.When  a  Chinese  puts  on  his  long  robe,  his 
trousers  are  generally  tucked  in  at  his  ankles,  and 
he  often  pulls  over  them  what  for  want  of  a  better 
term  must  be  called  leggings.  These  reach  up  to 
his  thighs,  and  are  held  up  by  tapes ;  tapes  again 
are  used  to  tie  them  at  the  ankles,  where  they 
332 


Washing-days 

narrow    down.      They    are    made    of    the    same 
materials  as  the  other  articles  of  dress 

fur  .rt"'''"'"'^  '^^^^''  ™^^^  °f  ""h  ^'^tin  or 
wh;  LJ  I  ^T"""  °'"  '^^  '°"^  ^""e  by  those 
who  can  afford  ,t.  It  is  thus  that  the  "yellow 
acket,  bestowed  by  the  Emperor,  is  worn.  U 
^  the  equivalent  of  an  order  conferred  by  our 
Western  sovereigns. 

Saint  Monday  is  not  kept  in  Cl-na,  either  to 
resort  eo  the  publichouse-such  establishments  a  e 
T^J^rr  "I  ^'''»^-"°'-  i=  it  kept  sacred  to  the 
washtub  by  the  female  members  of  the  community 
There  are  no  wash-houses,  no  laundries,  in  China 
Every  man  his  own  washerman  might  not  be  an 
inappropriate  motto  for  the  Chinaman.  Given  a 
dirty  jacket  or  pair  of  trousers,  a  wash-basin  or 
tub   (soap  was  immaterial,  but  is  now  in  general 

wa^'er  Ir'"  '7''^  '"  ^'"""^'  ^"^  "^«  "^^dful 
water,  and  in  a  few  minutes,  after  much  sousing 
and  rmsing,  out  comes  a  clean  garment,  a  Ion? 
bamboo  pole  stretched  from  roof  to  roof  or  proppel 
up  by  two  bamboo  crutches,  and  the  sun  does' the 
rest  If  necessary,  the  garment  is  starched,  but 
ironing  IS  unknown  except  by  the  tailor,  who  has 

iron  f^'"''  I'  P"""P'^  °'  "^^  ^««"=-"  <=''-coa 
iron  for  centuries,  probably  before  the  cute  Yankee 
discovered  it  in  the  West  and  patented  T 
Mangling  is  aJso  unknown.  A  garment  or  a  pair 
o  socks  will  be  washed  as  need  requires.  There 
are  no  so.led-linen  bags,  or  dirty-cloth.,  baske  s 
to  accumulate  a  week's  washing.  Of  course  ar^ong 
233 


I 

i 


I  I 


Ik  |! 


How  John  Chinaman  Dresses 

the   rich  their  slave-girls  or  servant-women  are 
the  laundresses. 

In  China:  the  men  have  taken  to  the  stocking, 
the  women  to  the  sock,  and  the  ladies,  with  their 
bound  feet,  to  neither  the  one  nor  the  other;  they 
bandage  their  deformities.  The  servant- woman 
often  wears  blue  stockings.  The  "  blue-stocking  " 
in  another  sense  of  the  term  is  almost  unknown, 
though  there  are  instances  of  her  in  history. 

The  native  footwear  next  the  foot  is  made  of 
cotton  cloth  sewn  together;  outside  are  the  slippers, 
rather  than  shoes,,  of  cloth,  with  feh  soles.  There 
is,  however,  a  considerable  variety  in  shoes  for 
men  and  women,  and  fashions  change  and  vary. 
There  are  many  naked  feet  to  be  seen;  in  fact, 
the  labouring  classes  go  barefooted  to  a  large 
extent,  some  of  them  never  putting  on  i  pair  of 
shoes  except  on  New  Year's  Day  or  their  wedding 
day.  When  John  Chinaman  wears  a  pair  of  shoes, 
he  delights  to  go  sUpshod,  with  the  backs  of  the 
shoes  folded  down  under  his  heels,  and  so  to  clatter 
along  the  street  or  through  the  house.  Sandals  are 
largely  in  use  by  the  labourers;  especially  are 
they  worn  by  the  coolies.  They  are  made  of 
straw,  and  sometimes  consist  only  of  a  thin  sole  of 
leather  fastened  to  the  foot. 

The  trousers  of  the  men  are  sometimes  tucked 
into  the  long  stockings  at  the  knees,  and  thus 
John  Chinaman  is  often  seen  in  knickerbockers. 
A  long  tape  garter,  blue  or  black,  or  of  ornamented 
braid,  worn  below  the  knee,  keeps  the  stockings 
234 


I  are 

king, 
their 
they 
}inan 
ing" 
lown, 

le  of 
pers, 
here 
for 
'ary. 
fact, 
arge 
r  of 
ding 
loes, 

the 
itter 

are 

are 
:  of 
e  of 


ked 
hus 
ers. 
ited 
ngs 


m\ 

' 

■             .,      m     '                        1 

t  .inU|H| 

fHlj 

si 

Women's  Raiment 


Xf  TA,S':L,,3?^  -™»  "^o  no.  wear 
worn  by  some  a3^^  fL  S"  '^°"°"  =°"=''^  - 

that  the  primary  deao'th?'  "'  '"  ''  "^  '"" 
China   is   the   sam7  .?  .  °''"™=  °'  ^"""an  in 

-ear  the  breech^-  1  T\  '"  '^"'  ^"""en 
■definition  o  "2,:;  aTti  tt  of  ^^  'T""'^'^ 
garment  worn  by  men  ••  ^  '^^'''^^    ^'    "a 

Far  East      The  h.Vh        ,      ""  applicable  to  the 

the  fact  when^.'dS;d"t""^  °'  ^'"^■^'^  ^■^^i- 
embroidered  silk  or  s'tin  Jn  ^^IT"^  ""^^  °^  ""^^-'y 
iimbs  in  front  and  h.h-  J  ^i*"'  "^^^  "'ei'  lower 
coats.  There  is  hot^'  "^^'"^  ^^^«  ^°^  Petti- 
all   the  women  'in  ^rr*  "°  ''"'"^  "'^  ^««  'hat 

literal  sense  of  th"  te™      T"   ^'''''''''   '"   the 
well.  '"""•  """^  «°«e  figuratively  as 

-XTeirirto^rfh^  r  ^'^^  --•^' 

retain  the  high-so^d  hoe  of  fi^  ''"'"'■  ^  ^=w 
=ome  the  Manchu  shoe  wi^I  fV"'  ''^■°'  ^""^ 
the  centre  of  the  sole  The  ^"^  °"''^'"«'*  '°*° 
been  to  use  the  Shan!:),  u  ^''"°"  "^^  '^te  has 
-le,   and    s   mofe  £"  t,"'  "'"'  ""^  ^  *''■« 

far  more  comfortLf  „  wairi^'-th"'  .""'   ''^ 
Perched-up  affairs  nf  f^  "^^^"^  than  the  high, 

walk  much  more  „aurT"t''-     ^^<=  ~" 
than  with  the  oWwhTh^  ""'^  *''"  "«w  fashion 
of  the  footed  -^^'"'i  "i^^^^^^ed  the  free  action 
and  .„„.,  their  ga,t  stiff  and  awkward 


hi} 


How  John  Chinaman  Dresses 


The  cities  of  Shanghai  and  Soochow  are  the 
Paris  and  Bond  Street  or  Regent  Street  as  regards 
fashions,  which  do  change  even  in  conservative 
old  China,  as  she  has  been  in  the  past.  A 
few  years  ago  the  fashionable  girls  and  ladies 
were  suddenly  transformed  almost  into  pigmies. 
Fashion  decreed  that  jacket:  should  fit  tight, 
though  not  yielding  to  the  contours  of  the  figure, 
except  in  the  slightest  degree,  as  such  an  exposure 
of  the  body  would  be  considered  immodest.  These 
jackets  were  also  made  very  short.  This  style  of 
dress  did  not  last  yery  long— a  year  or  two,  or  a 
few  years  at  the  most.  Therp  is  on  the  whole  not 
so  much  scope  for  innovation  or  variety. 

The  poorer  classes  are  more  out  of  the  fashion- 
able world  than  with  us,  and  with  women  the 
old  style  of  doing  the  hair  is  seen  sometimes 
amongst  the  working  classes.  The  old  fashion 
made  obligatory  a  wonderful  structure,  formed  into 
the  shape  of  a  teapot-handle  at  the  back,  and 
spreading  out  into  two  wings  at  the  side  of  the 
head,  which  were  kept  extended  by  the  plentiful 
application  of  a  kind  of  gum.  Two  back  wings 
also  added  to  the  curious  erection.  The  present 
mode  of  doing  the  hair  is  much  neater,  and  the 
shape  of  the  head  is  shown,  while  the  hair  is 
gathered  together  behind.  The  hair  is  drawn  off 
the  forehead  very  tightly,  and  bound  usually  at 
the  back,  with  the  result  that  many  young  women 
even  become  bald  on  the  forehead  and  temples. 
To  hide  this  a  little  frontlet  .f  hair  is  bound  over 
S36 


Absolute  Necessities 

Srrv"'"*f  !^^'  ""  ^°''=''"''  '"'J  sometimes 
black  powder  added. 

Women  wear  no  collars,  though  there  seems  a 
tendency   amongst    some    brought   under   foreign 
influence  to  put  on  a  narrow  piece  of  crochet  or 
similar  work  on  the  neck  of  their  jackets      The 
women  often  wear  a  band  over  the  forehead  in 
wmter,  to  keep  off  the  cold.     No  muffs  are  used? 
but  the  men  have  such  long  sleeves  to  their  coats 
and  robes  that  in  cold  weather  they  can  clasp  their 
hands  together  and  have  them  covered  and  warm. 
There  ,s  no  need  for  the  removal  of  ladies*  hats 
in  a  Chmese  theatre,  for  the  simple  reason  that 
there  are  none  to  take  off.     Except  the  working 
women  who  wear  them  to  protect  themselves  from 
sun  and  ram,  and  these  are  coarse  bamboo  affairs 
no  hats  are  worn  by  the  female  sex.     For  protec- 
tion from  the  elements,  several  kinds  of  bamboo 
hats  are  used  by  the  men.  one  variety  of  which 
even  ec'ipses  the   picture  hat   in  size.     Soft   felt 
hats  a.     also  worn  by  the  lower  classes  of  men, 
and  all  grades  wear  close-fitting  skull-caps       In 
summer  these  are   largely  discarded,   but  a  man 
IS  not  properly  dressed  without  this  cap,  and  must 
hu^rry   to   put   one  on   when    receiving  a   formal 

No  woman  is  considered  properly  dressed  with- 
out ear-rings.  The  variety  of  these  in  different  parts 
of  the  country  is  wonderful.  A  very  common  kind 
's  a  large  gilt  or  gold  ring  an  inch  or  so  in 
diameter,  to  which  is  suspended  a  flat  ring  of  jade- 
237 


dr\^..: 


Row  John  Chinaman  Di 


set 


•tone.  A  press  of  jade  is  often  wom  to  hold  the 
back  hair,  if  the  style  of  coiffure  is  such  as  to 
require  it.  Every  woman  has  a  long  hairpin,  or 
two  at  least,  of  copper  or  silver,  and.  if  she  can 
afford  It,  of  gold,  with  a  part  of  it  of  jade.  These 
stick  out  cf  the  hair  as  ornaments. 


CHAPTER   XIX 

The  Care  of  the  Minute 

to  rule  his  life  hv    7  .  ^"Kl«shman  appears 

.  principle'  of'  b^' aL^,  ^r  "  ••'"  ^^^  ^•™'' 
carry  this  that  hi.  TZ  h  ^  ^*''  «'o*»  he 

-^  in  the7JS  Zp"""  "^  *"'  '''"'•'^^• 

Pe-:  ^"/ tfe  S  r'tZ^'  «=-  "^  '»>' 
•elves."    and    utterl^    .JT  \ ""'  "^  *"»- 

'-hing.    In  S^  r.!:;^^    *«  J^jfnificant 
almost  only  com  i,  fh.T'y^.        *"«»est  and 

rate  of  j<:Zi:t::xv'^''  ^'  '•'^  '^'"-^ 

of  one-tenth  of  a,^  f  ^1  k  .  «°°™o«  amount 
purchasing  powerTnt^^'!^^''"'^^•  *ough  its 
what  a  p4fv  bi:^^  E^,  "f ";  °'  '^"^  "  about 
coin  abT!..,  3;ze  of  f  tli  "  *-''^'  ""«"» 
fole  in  the  cen^i'.  l^s  ^^i:'  ''*,*  """>- 
■n  e«stence  for  two  thTsLKan  Te  ^  ""^^ 
Its  square  hole  serves  T/^^'f  "°'''- 

on  the  motto    "  Art  „„  tl  ^**'"  *  sermon 

™>tto,      Act  on  the  c^uare."     Its  round 
339 


The  Care  of  the  Minute 

shape  might  be  emblematical  of  the  ease  with 
which  money  rolls  away  out  of  one's  control.  To 
pr-ivent  this  happening,  or  rather  really  for  con- 
venience in  carrying  and  handling,  this  coin  is 
tied  up  with  dried  grass-like  strings  or  hempen 
cords,  by  means  of  its  centre  hole,  into  hundreds, 
and  the  hundreds  into  thousands.  When  there 
is  a  string  of  coin  to  throw  over  one's  shoulders 
when  travelling,  probably  heavy  as  they  are,  they 
are  less  burdensome  than  the  weighty  iron  coins 
of  Lycurgus,  in  ancient  Greece. 

A  sweetmeat  or  a  pickle  can  delight  a  child's 
heart  for  a  cash.  A  hundred,  a  few  score  years 
ago,  would  have  served  .(at  the  rate  of  exchange 
then  prevailing,  of  twenty  to  the  penny)  for  the 
support  of  a  labouring  man  for  one  day,  nor 
in  the  interior  is  their  sustaining  power  much 
lessened.  The  world-wide  rising  in  prices  has 
its  echo  even  in  the  F'>  East,  and  living  costs 
more  than  it  used  to  ua,  which  is  all  the  more 
reason  for  John  Chinaman's  frugal  care  for  the 
minute.  There  is  no  such  thing  as  the  uncon- 
sidered trifle  in  China  ;  nothing  is  wasted,  except 
time  ;  nothing  is  of  no  account,  unless,  perhaps, 
it  be  human  life. 

Every  Chinaman  seems  bom  with  the  instinct  of 
acquisitiveness.  Where  an  Englishman  would 
starve,  the  Chinaman  will  make  a  competence,  for 
he  is  able  to  turn  all  advantages  to  the  best 
account.  Added  to  which,  he  is  frugal  in  the  use 
of  the  little  he  possesses  or  can  obtain.  He  has 
240 


Small  Savings 


'his   definition  coverT-ilmr,         ""*"  »*">''  ^"^ 
^fording  ,o  poouL!     ^"  «verytl,i„g.     Even, 

As  an  tastance  oHhi,^  ^/r  '^"  P'^^ 
of  Thunder.  He  was  r'  hi  V°'-  °'  ""=  ^od 
in  a  storm,  Valf T-  "  ?^  "'""^^  '•''  '"''  '^ha'iot 
of  a  fowl  and  the Teir:;'  'Vt'"'  *""  '^'-» 
»«»i-gloom  and  da'Ss"  o'f  1  rv"'  ""''  '"  '"« 
where  soot  and  s.^k^  "  im  th  ^'".T'"  ''"^''^"' 
black,  he  espied  I^oL^  """  ""»"'  '"^  ^of 
'hough,  thro'w^'ata'y  so*^  Te!!*'."  ''"■  ^'  »"-• 
'hus  wasted  an  artici  "of  ZTt:' rr"" 
dead   with   his   hammer   and   rhi  V     '"""''  ''" 

appointed  to  go  with  the  ^  L'&htnmg  was 
expeditions,  whose  duty  it  woJld  h"  ^'l  """"'^^ 
from  two  mirrors  she  he  d  T  h  u  *°  ""'''  "^ht 
illuminate  the  dark  plac  '  '^'?'='  ''^'^^'  ^"^  'hus 
indignant  god  should  strike       "  """'  "^^"^^  '»"= 

The  child  is  warned  airainst  th» 
-en  a  few  grains  ol  rlceZt^V' ''''''"e 
simple  breakfast  and  dilner  h         ^."''  ^^'^  his 
that  for  every  g  J  thT  ef?'a%Sl"'"'  ''"'' 
w'll  appear  on  his  face  smallpox  mark 

Every  scrap  of  iron  is  saved     „rf  i,       . 
or  'urned  into  cash  wh.  nextt  ilttrSinT: 


f'l 


I 


The  Care  of  the  Minute 

hawker  comes  round  with  his  two  baskets  to  gather 
the  spoils  which  would  be  thrown  upon  the  dust- 
heap  ill  our  lands  of  the  West.  Shiploads  of  old 
horseshoes  and  scrap-iron  are  sent  out  to  China, 
where  ere  long  they  reappear  in  useful  kitchen 
knives  or  tools  and  nails  for  the  carpenter. 

Every  Chinese  boy  is  a  successful  merchant  in 
embryo.  A  Samuel  Budgett  would  be  no  wonder 
in  this  land  of  frugality  and  picking  up  of  scraps, 
as  every  Chinaman  in  humble  circumstances  would 
act  as  that  wortjiy  merchant  did  about  the  horse- 
shoe, and  further,  would  probably  givei  Samuel 
Budgett  lessons  to  surprise  him. 

What  would  be  insignificant  trifles  in  the  West 
are  worth  money  in  China.  Things  that  are  cast 
out  on  the  rubbish-heap  with  us  are  hoarded  up 
or  turned  into  ready  cash— such,  for  e."4mple,  as 
old  tins,  whose  day  seems  past  when  .  the  jam 
is  gone  and  the  sardines  they  held  eaten.  Every 
tin  of  a  similar  nature,  if  not  immediately  utilised 
as  a  drinking-cup  or  box  to  hold  something,  finds 
its  way  to  the  tinsmith's  shop.  Old  kerosene  tins 
beg  in  life  anew  as  boxes  and  trunks  :  one  makes 
a  handy  small  one,  two  a  fairly  good-sized  one, 
wh'le  four  would  make  a  magnificent  trunk. 
Whai  travelling  in  the  country  you  can  scarcely 
please  a  Chinaman  better  than  by  giving  him  all 
the  old  tins,  cans,  bottles,  and  pots  wJch  have 
cont!»ined  your  preserved  fruits  and  provisions. 
His  eyes  glisten  and  his  face  beams  on  the  receipt 
of  the  treasures. 

343 


The  Hawker's  Spoils 

shoulders.  IcaS  '  "k^  '°  "^  P°'«  °^"  *eir 
them;  bits  of  copper  irif-  ""^''  "^'^  '<> 
°W  shoes,  and  J:  '  ^ "hil"'  "  °''"  ""='' 
worthless  find  a  restt  th.  k^I  ""=  ^""''^  *«k 
for  a  few  cash  On»\  .  ''^^'^"''^  «  "change 
seller  offers  a  cent'fof'e"""'  r"''-'"'^'^"-- 
originally  from  hTfi™  f  ''  °''*  ''°"'«  -""ed 
Without  Vlch  n^;  '  rt'^f  '»  »>-  empty, 
empty  bottle  is  of  vakeTn  cLf  T^'""'  '"'^ 
through  the  marineiker?  L:i^    '^''""  P^^'"» 

-rS'JS1s^5  i  ■""■■- » 

or  whoever  supplies  his  J^n/  ''""'  '""chant, 
no  need  to  have  them  IZ  u  '"'^  '^'""S"'  ^^ 
though  many  arrmadTin^r"''  '""*'"  '""  "■'». 
the  case   wL   the   tlv     ^    f^r'P*"'^"^  '«  this 

-ch  as  PeppLl\rgettd'me7-  T"^^^' 
After  vou  hav»  ^      f^  medicmally. 

besides  h'avL  hTs  c^o  T''.  '''■  '""'  ^"vant, 
'eaves.  Fresl  t^  i""^'  ^/  °^''"  ^"«"  'he  used 
poor  man's    able    aLdth        T  ''^'»  °°  -«« 

»43 


i        V: 


mi  i\i:s 


The  Care  of  the  Minute 

Clothes  pass  down  from  one  to  the  other,  till  at 
last  they  reach  the  beggar,  at  times  a  mass  of 
rags  scarcely  held  together.  In  the  first  stage  of 
their  descent  from  their  high  estate,  and  while 
still  ,very  respectable,  you  niay  see  them  lining 
the  walls  of  the  "  ancient  clothes  shops  "  as  they 
are  styled — a  good  name,  as  "  ancient  "  is  often  a 
more  fitting  term  to  apply  to  them  than  "  old." 

Poverty  incites  to  this  care  for  the  minute.  So 
the  children,  little  tiny  toddlers  often,  supplement 
the  efforts  of  thte  father  and  mother  to  get  rice 
for  the  hungry  mouths,  by  foraging  about  for 
every  twig  and  shaving  that  can  be  found  to  keep 
the  pot  boiling.  The  seamstress-mother  stumps 
along  on  her  boimd  feet,  carrying  in  her  basket, 
now  that  the  day's  work  is  over,  scraps  for  mend- 
ing and  patching  for  the  men  whose  wives,  in 
accordance  with  Chinese  custom,  are  living  at  home 
in  the  country  with  the  mothers-in-law.  Her 
footsteps  are  slow,  prevented  as  she  is  by  her 
cramped  feet  from  pacing  it  out  bravely,  and  she 
is  burdened  with  the  baby  carried  pick-a-back, 
while  a  little  brood  in  varying  stages  of  child- 
hood run  along  beside  her,  gathering  up  some 
morsel  of  wood  or  bit  of  combustible  matter. 

Every  floating  stick  or  piece  of  wood  is  picked 
up  carefully  by  the  boat-women  as  they  row  their 
sampans  along,  or  as  they  drift  on  the  tide  past 
them.  A  shallow,  tiny  saucer-like  basket  attached 
to  a  short  bamboo  pole  is  ready  amongst  the  boat 
furniture,  handy  to  retrieve  this  flotsam  and  rescue 
244 


Near  Starvation 


"'ater,  much  less  of  stoonL  i  ,"""^  ^'■°'"  '^e 
as  the  boat-wome„"T21';\P'^">i^°fa„oar, 
them  from  the  stream  On^  '™^'  '°  '«=°^" 
boat  coming  atoned.?  ■"?'^'L '""""^-^^  ^«*  a 
OW  flour-bags  sT^^^^Sh^f '  ''^^  -'«  -de  of 

'•■at  the  great  masTTthf  0^:^  "  *•=''  "^^ 
manage  to  make   both  enH  ^  ^P^"  <=an 

them  live  just  above  stL",  """•  ^'"'°"«  of 
circumstances  there  isTe  '""  """"'■  ^"'^^  ^"^^ 
-g  of  every  resou'e  /^a  setT/"  '  '^"^''-'^- 
"»ity  that  presents  itself  to/  '^"^  °PP°^- 
obtain  what  prevents  th.  7^  """"^^  °'  to 

And  yet  withal  thTy  a  e   orr^^'T  °'  """"^y- 
■nerry  peopb  ^  ^'^'  °°  ^''^  '^ho'e,  a  happy, 

in  street  and  ho^se    n  clotL     7''  '°  ^""'""'ate 
on  the  person      The  1^1         c'"'  "^"^ "°'  ^^^om 
at  street  comers  or  on  th  ""  °^  "'^^''^  P»«d  "P 
the    banks    of   rivers     cont'°™'"^  "■°^''='''^' °' o« 
Shreds  of  potter;   b^kennTs  "°'''"^  "'  ^^'"- 
ware,  mud,  old  bL  of  n.^  .       '  '"""'  °^  <=^«hen- 
into   earth     and    suchl^""'  "^°'^'"^  ^''««=e'ves 
Potentialit;  of  use    ex'  '    ^"^^''"''^   P'"="'   "° 
'he  river  fronts      Vwf-     '"  '^'^"''''S  land  on 
-    an    ineiensive  t;^,-°--''y  being  done 

">e    detriment    of    some   ^f    thr^L"''"    '" 
"J    tne    watercourses. 


The  Care  of  the  Minute 

Nature  has  so  lavishly  provided  John  Chinaman 
with  these  means  of  intercommunication  in  the 
south  that  he  has  not  yet  awakened  to  the  neces- 
sity of  conserving  their  courses  and  preserving 
their  banks  intact. 

Even  old  coffin-boards,  after  the  corpse  or 
skeleton  has  done  with  them,  are  raised  from  the 
dead,  or  the  dead  raised  from  them  and  provided 
for  elsewhere.  The  boards  serve  as  a  primitive 
bridge  (being  strong,  massive  chunks  of  timber)  to 
cross  a  ditch  on  watercourse.  Even  a  fence  or 
hoarding  made  of  them  has  been  seen  by  the  author. 

Mer.  with  large  wooden  trays,  somewhat  like 
a  magniiied  edition  of  a  butcher's  tray,  stand  in 
the  mud  of  river-banks,  sifting  out  the  silt,  to 
recover  any  object  that  may  seem  to  them  worth 
picking  up. 

The  Chinese  would  consider  our  system  of 
sewerage  a  dreadful  waste.  The  drains,  &c.,  are 
only  for  the  surface  water.  The  dirty  water  from 
the  kitchens  is  thrown  into  old  buckets,  except 
a  small  quantity  that  goes  down  the  open  sinks, 
and  periodically  women  come  and  empty  them 
into  their  own  pails,  which  they  carry  off  for  pig- 
swill.  Men  and  women  also  collect  the  night- 
soil  from  the  houses  in  the  cities  and  towns,  and 
about  9  a.m.  many  a  street  is,  to  the  European 
passer-by,  almost  impassable,  owing  to  the  frightful 
stench  rising  from  the  open  buckets  and  the  collect- 
ing operations,  for  all  is  done  in  the  open  streets. 
The  material  gathered  in  this  and  other  ways  is 
246 


The  Complete  House 


south   Of   ^C  are    to   a\^;  ^"  *=^="'^  "  '''^ 
market-gardens.  ^^   ^''*"'*   ^'mply 

farmer  employs  or'.Jf  "'\«»'-'=« -gardener  «; 
and  manurkie  It  m  T*"'"^''""  °^  ^^'"'"g 
what  succes^plagie  Thole^"   'Z  T^'"^''  -«^ 

spread  under ^sur^ondtons^Tht^V'^"'^"^^^ 
through  it  all,  and  seem  to  X  .      """"^  ''^« 

kill  off  Euro^  J  Who"  Slf"  ""'^"  ^'^^^  -"'d 

th/cr^cL^'r^rdri-'-^^''- 

natives  of  the  Indkn  ^n  ^'  ™'^''  "  ^^  t^e 
as  his  enhanced  S^:,r:^,Tf'"^'''  ^^  ^°- 
Chinaman  launches  oZn  w      '^™"  °^  "•  J°^ 

Cloth...    iJ-l!^„tX^S 

^iS  o'fto^airf'""'^  ^^"  ''-''«''  - 
firewood;  aTdhep^lSl?'  '^  ''^  ^^"^'^  ^- 
^gain.  For  the  g^s™!',:  ^°"°^,  "■«"  ^™-ing 
girls,  scour  the  hills  In h'  ""''^^  ^"'"^n  ^"d 

bundles  of  grass^'i^d^ll  ^^^T  \''''"  '^^'^ 
tive  knives  ''^^"''^  *«ir  destruc- 

iflisZSJtVrdo'^r^-''"-'''^ 

^o.  Perhaps/one  rmte"i"un^  r"=  °^ 
*«"«  Hard,  uncomfortable 
^7 


iij 


ill 


■■',- 1 

A 

mi   ' 

f 

Mi.   :  1  . 

'a. 

i: 

h 

The  Care  of  the  Minute 

chairs  of  wood  or  bamboo,  a  bedstead  of  two 
trestles  and  two  long  broad  boards,  a  mat  for 
mattress,  a  blanket,  a  quilt,  a  mosquito-net,  a 
rough  wooden  or  bamboo  table,  often  a  "  gatp  " 
table,  a  few  earthenware  pots  and  pans,  and  two 
or  three  furnaces  (each  pot  or  pan  has  a  separate 
one),  half  a  dozen  bowls  and  plates,  lastly,  but 
not  of  least  importance,  a  teapot — and  there  is  a 
house  fully  furnished  for  a  poor  family  in  China. 

No  ;  one  side  of  life  has  not  been  provided  for. 
An  idol,  or  a  piece  of  board  or  paper  with  the  god's 
or  gods'  names  written  on,  will  do  for  worship, 
and  some  charms.  Nevertheless,  with  it  all,  the 
love  of  Nature  is  not  quite  forgotten.  There  will 
likely  be  a  broken  flower-pot  or  two,  with  some 
broken-down  plants. 

The  litter  of  scraps  of  paper,  old  envelopes, 
and  tom-up  letters,  with  occasionally  a  whole 
newspaper  blown  about  in  the  streets  or  over  the 
sands,  or  even  a  page  or  two  of  a  book  with 
advertisements  galore— all  this  is  a  sight  never 
see-  in  China.  This  is  r  t  due  to  tidiness  or 
cleanliness,  as  every  vacant  space  in  a  city  or 
a  street  comer  has  its  heaps  of  rubbish  piled  high  ; 
but  is  owing  to  the  reverence  felt  and  evinced 
for  the  printed  or  written  page.  Scarcely  any 
thing  causes  the  foreigner  more  to  be  despised 
in  China  than  his  utter  disregard  of  such  things. 

The  author   when  throwing  away  into  a  pond 
a   piece    of    dirty    foreign-printed    paper   in   the 
interior  of  China  had  his  attention  solttnnly  called 
348 


Reverence  for  the  Characters 

tnack  tone  of  vo.ce.    No  paper  with  characters  on 
.t   s  thrown  down  on  the  ground  or  tossed  away. 

affixed  to  the  walls,  or,  failing  these,  into  cracks 
or  crevices  m  trees  and  like  situations  or  cavities 
whence  they  are  gathered  by  men  who  go  abm 
with  a  basket  and  a  pair  of  bamboo  tongs  for 
the  express  purpose  of  gathering  up  every  scrap 
of  pnnted  or  written  paper.  The  contents  of  hese 
basket  r,  burned  in  a  temple  or  public  ha" 
There  .s  scarcely  any  need  for  the  rag-picker  in 

f?rTher;"''r",'^'  ^  ^^*''""  '^  --«^-   "en 
Z,  ?       '\  '"'"   °'  "°*''*"^  °f   ^y  value   for 

Jo^se^°thr'T-  """^'"'"^  '''  -^  --i^-ed  in 
houses-the  street  comer  or  the  river  front 
serves  that  useful  purpose 

S  il.  '^  "7""*"^  intercourse,  Spanish, 
duceS  ^t  ^^"'  ""^  ^''''""  ''°"^"  were  intro- 
with  each  merchant's  or  shopkeeper's  private  n.ark 
t  secure  the.r  being  genuine,  with  the  result  that 
after  a  few  score  or  hundreds  of  "chops"  as 
they  were  called,  had  been  impressed  T'them 
the  hard-used  dollars  broke  up  into  pieces.     Even 

slr^it^'^i    M,  '°"^;^^    ^'^'^''''    ^°    -"" 
sure    It    was    full    weight.     The    scales    for    this 

purpose,     which     were     finely     marked,     allowed 

seventy-two    hundredths     of    a    tael,    or      oZ- 

fmes    It     was     seven     hundred    and     sevente^ 

249 


!•  r 


The  Care  of  the  Minute 

thousandths  to  the  dollar.  One  of  these  seventy- 
two  htindredths  did  not  amount  to  a  halfpenny  ; 
but  it  was  worth  quite  an  appreciable  number  of 
cash,  and  John  Chin  man's  care  o7  the  minuto  is 
carried  to  fractions  little  thought  of  by  us. 

The  dollar  being  thus  reduced  to  fragments 
by  this  continual  "chopping,"  became  "broken 
silver,"  and  if  the  little  scale  was  requir  d 
for  the  whole  coins,  much  more  was  it  necessaiy 
for  the  bits  of  silver,  to  know  what  they  were 
worth.  In  purchases  these  little  fragments  and 
their  weights  were  haggled  over  until  agreements 
could  be  come  oecween  buyer  and  seller.  The 
shopman  had  his  money-scales,  and  the  purchaser 
also  carried  his  as  well,  to  check  the  shopman's. 
.With  the  silver  coinage  that  has  now  come  in, 
this  state  of    iffairs  is  gradually  disappearing. 

There  is  nu  need  of  a  Eustace  Miles  to  teach 
John  Chinaman  to  live  on  threepence  a  day. 
Thousands,  if  not  hundreds  of  thousands,  already 
do  it  on  less.  Refreshments  and  food  of  all  kinds 
are  obtainable  at  a  low  rate  unheard  of  in  England. 
Eight  Tangerine  oranges  may  be  had  for  a  penny  ; 
others  cost  about  double  tliat  ;  a  stick  of  sugar- 
cane about  eight  or  ten  inches  long  costs  less 
than  a  fa«hing  ;  several  little  cakes  may  be  bought 
for  the  equivalent  of  a  farthing,  and  the  same 
low  scale  of  prices  governs  many  of  the  articles 
of  native  consumption. 

As  to  the  care   for  the  minute  in   labour,  a 
volume  might  be  written  on  it,  and  on  the  un- 
350 


"Waste  Not,  Want  Not" 

little  short  o£  Sou,      itr'^  u""^'"  ''^°«'i°n  is 
"aJ''!!1""V*"""'°"  »■"•  porcelain  vase 

minutte  of  some  ^^eVr  *"  **"=  '"'""*« 

time  wasted  ^  ''*"""»'  ""  '^ink  his 

drudgery  or  pains.  "^'^    '~™^    "° 


2SI 


CHAPTER   ZX 

The  Yellow   Ps'^.i 

•|  Peace  i>  to  be  priied."-The  Chinese  C!««c». 
pleasure  In  kUling  men  can  w  unite  if-Tue  Chinese  Classics. 

"IXT'ITH  no  uncertain  voice  does  the  sage 
»  »  Mencms  denounce  war.  Tliat  "  lust  of 
conquest  will  not  prosper  "  ;  that  "  war  hinders 
the  increase  of  population";  that  "a  war  of 
conquest  is  reaUy  manslaughter";  that  "it 
destroys  the  balance  of  power  between  states  "  • 
that  ■  annexation  should  only  be  when  the  inhabit- 
ants are  favourable  "  ;  that  "  even  a  war  of  punish- 
ment may  be  avoided  "  ;  that  "  war  is  generally 
to  be  deprecated  "  ;  that  "  there  are  no  righteous 
wars.  Instances  there  are  of  one  war  better  than 
another  "-these  are  the  principles  to  be  deduced 
from  the  Book  of  Mencius.i  Mencius  "  always 
advocates  a  policy  of  peace.     In  this  respect  he 

"Or^mJ't""''  *"'"'  t  "'""'"•   '">'  ""'^hin'on.   Triibners 
iJnental     Series,  pp.  268-72. 

252 


Bill 


War  Discountenanced 


»  at  one  with  all  tht    .,ief 


state 


—     — "»'     Will 

the  Chinese." 

great  armies   there  are   ,ure  to^^!.T"'' °' 
This  "  rawo/ against  war  "J  ^''  y**"" 

«ops.    He  does  not  darr^v  ""^  '"*"'•  ^"J 

'ionO  to  assert  ^d  tmp£r,"""'"^  "''  "P'"' 
«rilce5  it  as  a  matterTf  f  mastery."    ••  He 

but  not  from  a^lh  of  necessity  ;    he  strikes  it, 

T-h    Kin,"    proc^Js  "'."'C'''-;^'"''!    '  ^- 
beautiful,  are  instruments  of  .vi,  '    "^^''^^ 

it  may  be  said   to  all  .,-  .  °"""''  bateful, 

killed  multituL  of     "     r  -     ""'  '"'°  "'» 
'^th  the  bittere!'  ^ief  ••  "'"  ""'"'  '"'  '"em 

Thus    the    founder    nf    t     ■ 
writings  a  dead  setaga Lt  tr  T''    "^    "" 
>t  productive  of  miserv  JnH  i    I'     "'  '-"nsidered 

-  "only  PermisXe^inTcase  0?;"'^'°  '"'"' 
even  th-n  its  spirit  anH  ?  /  "^"""y'  ^nd 
guarded  against."  '  tendencies    must    be 

To  these  masters  of  thought  »n^  i    j 
people's  minds  may  b^TnTi     .   '"''""  of  the 
to  call  attentionTu  Hult  elo    ""  /"''«  « 

:^^S^r-^£;?=n^b::x^- 

■  See  G,le.-s  C,«s  o/T*,,,,,  i,/„^/„,,^ .,. 
»S3 


i  I 


The  Yellow  Peril 

Thuf  we  have  sagre  and  philosopher,  scholar  and 
people,  all  with  an  underlying  repugnance  to  war. 
Let  us  hear  what  Wu  ~-«  (the  author  of  one 
of  the  oldest  military  tre.nses  in  the  world)  has 
to  say  on  its  subject-matter,  as  regards  the  nature 
and  reasons  for  the  use  of  the  sword  : 

"  The  natures  of  war  arr  five :  First,  a 
righteous  war  ;  second,  a  war  ot  might  ;  third,  a 
war  of  revenge  ;  fourth,  a  war  of  tyranny  ;  fifth, 
an  unrighteous  war.  The  prevention  of  tyranny 
and  the  restoration  tof  order  is  just  ;  to  stnke 
in  reliance  on  numbers  is  oppression  ;  to  raise 
the  standard  for  reasons  of  anger  is  a  war  of 
revenge  ;   to  quit  propriety  and  seiie  advantage  is 

tyranny." 

"  The  barbarous  prestige  conceded  to  i.  tary 
conquerors  "  forms  no  part  of  the  Chinese  v  ons 
of  the  future.  If  any  country  has  lived  up  to  .he 
idea  of  the  pen  being  mightier  than  the  sword, 
China  h>  3  been  that  country.  She  is  now  being 
caught  in  the  vortex,  eve  widening  in  its  destruc- 
tive energies,  into  which  t...  most  civilised  nations 
of  modem  times  cast  their  hard-earned  wealth  and 
peace  of  mind,  while  striving  to  ride  unharmed 
over  its  whirlpool  depths. 

The  idea  that  China  wiU  rouse  herself  m  her 
hundreds  of  millions  to  overrun  the  Far  West 
is  a  fevered  dream,  a  chimera  of  the  bram  ;  it 
forms  a  grand  plot  for  the  most  sensativ>nal  type 
of  novel.  Some  of  her  emperors  in  the  past,  it  is 
true  have  dreamed  dreams,  and  sent  out  armies 
^54 


No  Lust  of  Conquest 

to  conquer  the  Itlei  of  the  Sea«,  to  wit,  the  Iiland 
Kingdom  of  Japan  ;  but  their  fate  was  that  of 
the  Armada  against  our  own  shores,  and  thev 
disappeared. 

The  whole  instinct  of  the  people,  their  whole 
mode  of  thought,  the  trend  of  public  opinion  would 
all  doubtless  b<!  against  the  transformation  of  the 
nation  as  a  mass  into  a  vast  military  force, 
leaving  their  homes  to  go  out  conquering  and 
to  conquer  ;  but  one  or  two  of  those  in  power 
are  succumbing  to  the  ideas  of  conscription  in 
the  future. 

It  is  not  that  Chinese  brains  are  not  capable 
of  the  formation  of  plans  of  warfare.  In  addition 
to  their  own  native  intelligence,  the  study  of 
.Western  methods  of  warfare,  superadded  to  their 
own  skill  in  the  past,  would  be  sufficient  for  the 
exigencies  of  the  moment,  and  adequate  to  the 
needs  of  the  future.  Their  adaptation  to  circum- 
stances is  remarkable.  What  looks  like  a  most 
primitivr  procedure  in  the  war  in  the  Western 
hinterland  of  China  was  a  most  wise  procedure  ; 
for  the  Chinese  rule  of  warfare,  that  the  enemy 
should  provide  the  commissariat,  was  carried  to 
such  an  extent  that  the  Chinese  army  rested  from 
its  arms,  and,  for  the  nonce,  the  swords  of  the 
soldiers  were  exchanged  for  ploughshares  and  their 
spears  into  pruning-hooks. 

iWhen  the  crops  which  they  had  sown  had 
ripened,  and  food  for  the  campaign  for  the  ensuing 
season  was  provided,  the  general,  Caesar -like, 
ass 


i 


The  Yellow  Peril 

resumed  operations  ;  and  thus  the  barbarians 
of  the  West  were  reduced,  and  the  horrors 
of  war  interspersed  with  the  delights  of  farm- 
ing. And  the  wise  commander  proceeded  to 
gather  the  fruits  of  the  ground  for  future 
exigencies  till  another  periofl  of  intercalary  farm- 
ing arrived. 

Such  a  method,  with  its  leisurely  procedure, 
would  hardly  meet  the  exigencies  of  modern  war- 
fare ;  for  a  wave  of  the  Yellow  Peril  to  engulf 
Europe  with  its  hordes  would  require  a  gigantic 
food  supply  to  meet  its  prodigious  appetite. 

Again,  were  such  an  insane  vision  as  the  invasion 
of  Europe  ever  to  turn  the  heads  of  the  sober- 
minded  Chinese,  would  not  the  nations  of  the  West 
sink  their  minor  differences,  and  oppose  an 
irresistible  phalanx  to  such  a  devastating  host? 
Because  Japan  brought  Russia  to  her  knees — the 
best  of  Asia,  as  far  as  military  prowess  is  con- 
cerned, against  the  worst  of  Europe  in  regard  to 
martial  preparedness — it  does  not  follow  that 
either  Japan  or  any  other  Asiatic  nation  could 
conquer  the  whole  of  Europe,  or,  for  that  matter, 
the  entire  world. 

It  is  a  mystery  how  the  vast  preparations  for 
such  an  impossible  undertaking  could  be  kept  quiet 
in  the  present  day,  when  every  event  is  known, 
to  use  an  Irishism,  even  before  it  takes  place, 
and  the  omniscient  and  omnipresent  newspaper 
correspondent  ferrets  out  every  item  of  news  for 
the  ubiquitous  daily  paper. 
256 


!il 


In  Favour  of  Peace 

To  ensure  the  success  of  such  a  vast  under- 
taking, one  master-brain  would  have  to  dominate 
umTm  ;'  ''"''"^'  P--'-"g  Chinese  a^d 
beStsXeTeseT"^'  '"^^   ''^^"^^   *°   ^^'^ 
Could  one  imagine  such  a  tyrant  ready  to  bend 
the  whole  W.11  of  the  nation  to  his  behests,  Ae 

woumT"  "'^"'"'  '''  ^"'^'^  ^  ^'S-'-  ~"^"- 

would  h  "^'"!f  •.  ^'•^  '"°"^"^  °'  '^^  "ation 
would  be  required  for  generations  to  come  to  be 
husbanded  for  the  direful  moment.  All  her  latem 
powers  must  be  developed  to  their  utmost  extent 
her  new-found  knowledge  adapted  to  the  genius' 
of  her  people  ;  their  minds  moulded  and  diverted 
mto  new  cham^els  of  thought  and  desires?  he 
conservatism  of  past  millemiiums  turned,  no  into 
the  learnmg  of  the  West,  but  into  a  blatknt  greed 
and  lust  of  bloodshed  ;  the  whole  nature  of  K 
Chinaman    radically    changed,    from    that    of    a 

destSon'T  T  "^',°'  "  ""'*  ^^-Se,  breathing 
destruction  to  aU  mankind  but  his  own  kith  and 

r.^T't  '"  "*■''  ^^'»««f'«™g  the  constant  and 
rapid  change  oi  armaments,  munitions  of  war 
and  all  that  pertains  to  warfare,  both  on  l^d 
and  sea,  which  renders  in  a  few  years  every  weap^^ 
obsolete,  where  are  the  millions  of  money  the 
hundreds  of  miUions  of  taels  of  silver,  "o'i^om: 

a  s^aleT  ^cw'^"-  '^^  ^^"P'"^"'^  "^  ^ar  on  such 
of  doubt  kT  '^P^^^'"^  "'='•'  ^thout  a  shadow 
ot  doubt ,  but  until  some  financier  shall  arise  with 

3S7 


The  Yellow  Peril 

a  multi-millionaire's  powers  of  amassirig  her 
wealth,  of  storing  up  her  ingots  of  sycee,  or  a 
genius  is  bom  for  the  occasion,  and  inherits  the 
purse  of  Fortunatus,  it  is  a  mystery  where  the 
wherewithal  would  come  from. 

China  is  already  following  the  example  of  the 
West,  by  borioiving  from  her,  for  her  railways, 
&c.  Would  she  continue  to  borrow  from  her  victim 
to  destroy  her,  and  would  her  victim  provide  her 
in  this  way  with  the  sinews  of  war? 

Again,  many  a  line  of  railway  would  be  required 
to  pour  forces  such  as  would  be  required  for  this 
Armageddon,  which  our  prophets  of  woe, 
Cassandra-like,  are  foretelling  ;  fleets  of  trans- 
ports, men-of-war,  fighting  ships  of  all  kinds  and 
classes,  the  like  of  which  the  world  has  never  seen 
in  ancient  or  modem  times. 

Is  it  possible,  then,  that  the  grafting  of  Western 
militarism  on  the  rooted  hatred  of  war  of  the 
Chinese  will  so  aher  the  whole  fibre  of  the  Chinese 
moral  nature  that  rapine  and  bloodshed,  conquest 
and  the  lust  of  mle,  destruction  and  the  wholesale 
murder  of  millions  of  defenceless  women  and 
children,  the  annihilation  of  nations,  the  changing 
of  the  gardens  of  the  world  into  deserts  of  blight 
and  devastation  will  result?  Is  it  possible  that  the 
good  tree  of  Chinese  life  will  bring  forth  such 
evil  and  corrupt  fruit?  God  forbid  I  To  do  this, 
the  whole  nation  must  be  transformed  into  demons, 
a  savage  people  must  take  the  place  of  a  civilised 
nation.  If  this  is  to  be  the  result  of  the  introduc- 
258 


The]  Golden::  Rule 

tion  of  our  boasted  Western  civilisation,  then  let 
It  perish  off  the  face  of  the  earth  I 

But  those  who  know  the  Chinese  will  give  an 
emphatic      no  "  to  the  whole  question 

s  It  to  be  supposed  that  the  knitting  together 
of  he  nations  in  the  bonds  of  friendship  and  amity 
will  not  extend  beyond  the  bounds  of  Europe 
where  it  has  begun,  fostered  by  the  wise  counsels 

IniZ    "'"J^?^\  ''  "  '°  "^^  ^"PPO^^d  that  this 
entente  cordiale,  that  this  brotherhood  of  nations 
will  not  extend  and  its  influence  be  felt  till  even 
distant   China   and  -its   teeming  millions   will   be 
brought  mto  the  bond  of  peace?    .Who  would  have 
thought  a  few  years  ago  that  an  alliance  would 
have  been  formed  between  Japan  and  England? 
We    believe   that    eventually    the   golden    rile    of 
nations  as  well  as  of  individuals  will  he,  "Love 
thy  neighbour  as  thyself."     The  Wes,   expresses 
the  Golden  Rule  positively;    the  East  negatively 
-    What   you   do   not   like   done   to   yourself,   do 
not  do  to  others."    Three  times,  in  slightly  varyir- 
erms,  is  this  expressed  in  the  Chinese  classics" 
If   anythmg,    the    West    in    this    shows    a    more 
excellent  way  to  the  East.    Will  the  East,  already 
having  the  idea,  pervert  this  glorious  teaching  to 
the  destruction  of  light  and  learning-the  East 

S    and">T   "^   °"^"  "•'  '■^'>'--   OrfeTe 
Europe?      '       '~'"°''^.  """'^^  '^'  ^"^  ^g«^  of 

unilv'id"'  °^  '^  ""!'-''"  ZeUgeist~is  that  of 

unity    and    accord;    the    world    is    being    drawn 

259 


'111 


III 


The  Yellow  Peril 

together,  and  under  its  influence  wiU  not  the  noble 
precepts  of  the  Chinese  sages,  long  lymg  ^  ent 
L  their  classics,  and  saturating  the  native  miad 
find  a  wider  field  of  operation  m  the  e^endmg 
sphere  of  life  wh.ch  is  openmg  up  before  he 
Chinese,  touched  as  they  are  now  bemg  -th  the 
peace-giving  spirit  of  Him  who  said.     My  peace 

^  !"y  parts  of  the  world  John  Chinan^ 
instead  of  being  a  yellow  peril,  has  l^en  a  goW^ 
blessing.  The  British  Empire  m  the  Straits  Settle 
"  nts  fs  being  built  up  by  his  P«-^-'' f '7^,^; 
ing  efforts.  Out  of  almost  the  depths  of  the 
ocean  like  the  coral  insect,  he  has  raised  up  a 
soUd  foundation  of  commerce,  industry,  and  pro- 
gress. To  change  the  iUustration,  he  is  the  busy 
lie  who  takes  the  place  of  the  drone.  The  native 
S  no°work  as  JoL  Chinaman  will.  His  progres- 
Ti,  pushing  energy  transforms  the  drowsy  ^j-PV 
jungle  into  the  thriving  British  colony   and  the 

^"jXlfhS^man  has  developed  the  Malay 
Peninsula  by  his  ever-increasing  crowds  of  puslung 
Lustrious,  enterprising,  diligent  toUe^-L-^e 
numbers  of  Chinese  are  found  m  South  America 
SrS^est  Indies,  and  in  India  itself,  and  almost 
anywhere  you  go,  even  on  the  top  of  a  London 
•bus  you  will  find  John  Chmaman.  There  i 
scarcely  a  nation  on  earth  that  has  not  at  l«is 
one  of  his  number  within  its  boundaries  He 
U  ahnost  as  ubiquitous  as  the  proverbial  bcot, 
360 


John  as  a  Scot 

of  whose  habits  of  frugality  and  patience  he  is 
an  Asiatic  edition,  and,  like  the  Scot,  he  reaps 
his  reward.  Like  the  Scot  again,  he  also  gets 
far  more  than  his  share  of  opprobrium  for  the 
very  qualities  which  ensure  his  success. 


36i 


CHAPTER   XXI 

John  Chinaman  at  School 

THE  education  of  the  Chinese  has  had  every- 
thing to  do  with  their  apparent  mentally 
stagnant  position  for  centuries.  Having  elaborated 
a  system  that  admitted  of  no  expansive  energy  for 
generations,  every  Chinese  scholar  was  but  a 
stereotyped  edition  of  previous  issues  of  the  race, 
with  little  scope  for  individuality  of  expression. 
If  one  broke  loose  from  the  trammels  which  bound 
his  fellows,  he  was  a  heretic  ;  for  all  were  schooled 
to  one  line  of  thought  and  to  one  mode  of  expres- 
sion. The  ahnost  exclusive  cultivation  of  the 
memory,  with  the  confining  of  the  expression  of 
thought  into  rigid  lines  of  conventionality,  based 
on  the  classics  and  the  scholastic  writings  on  them, 
has  tended  to  destroy  the  power  of  thought. 

While  thus  affording  an  excellent  training  for 

the  retention  of  what  has  been  once  learned,  the 

course  of  education  was  not  of  great  utility  in 

expanding  the  laind.     The  result  was  that  there 

162 


The  Old  System 


tive  in  opposition  to  thrv'"'^"'-    ^he  objec- 

nowadays   find   e„tU«    !ff  °^  '"^^''^^  ^Wch 

^t"dy,    the    Chinese    cour^   has    b^"'^"'""   °^ 
limited.  ^-"urse   nas    been    decidedly 

The  immortal  classics  fill»j  ♦!,        .    , 
the   Chinese   scholaT     hi.   n  '"'"'^'''  ^y"  °f 

further.    FortunaSy 'the  LTT  '"''''"^'=''   »<> 
the  text  of  Chfnese  leamW  ''"f^l^hich  formed 
works  amplified    hi  ^f'         "^  "'''^  '"'"« 
a  -nnon  does  'the  orSf  *°  '"^^'^^  «^^-  - 
founded-fortunatdy^f'^'  r"°K°"."'"^''  ''  " 
one  book  of  history  and  on^Sf''  ^^'  ""'''*'='='' 
one   on   etiquette      T  ^Z  1"°"'^'  ^  ^'^  '^ 
«-ry.s   pa\t  ^k  t\°e  cu'ivatL'^th"'   ^^'^ 
entered  into  the  hieher  ,r»Zr      ^     ^  *''^  """^e 
Arithmetic,  though  W„tedr'  ^"^  '""^^^  ~"««- 
into  a  Chinese  boy's  hind   1'"  k""'  ''"^  ^°°^  P« 
Of  the  ordinary  cLLtljrnt'Tf  ''^  """=^ 
on  it  and  some  of  th^  ht^u      ^'         ^^  treatises 
matics  .  areTo  be  ftnH^       u"^'^''  °^  -n^'he- 
of  Chinese  lit  ra^^e      4"  hi  "!l  ^'°^^''°"-^ 
jn  the  lore  of  the  schoojLtefa's  thf '  ''T" 

-Plest  calculations  the  rcut„rc=-^^^^^^^ 
WyJ.e'sA.„te„,a,,„,^,,;';y_^_Ch^ne«^on  these  subjects  i„ 


f 


John  Chinaman  at  School 

constwrted  on  the  plan  of  that  taught  to  our  infant 
cSeTin  our  Board  Schools..  Under  the  Chmese 
accountant's  deft  and  agile  fingers,  the  balls  fly 
:^riightuing  speed  up  and  down  the  -es  °r 
rods       With    this    combination    of    mental    and 

mechanical  arithmetic,  >«-».  «f  '""'[.V  ^^e 
obtained.  But  this  has  nothing  to  do  with  the 
scholar,  who  simply  picks  up  a  knowk-^S;  °  "^ 
use  from  seeing  it  constantly  ^npl^y^'^'  °^'  ' ,  J?' 
enters  upon  a  commercial  life,  has  to  be  taught 

•"^fSSS^'character  of  the  Chinese  written 
language  and  its  inadaptability  to  be  set  down  as 
olTr^rabic  numerals  are  in  any  position  convement 
for  the  fundamental  operations  of  addition    sub- 
traction,   multiplication,    and    division,    and    the 
ret^ng  compUcation  of  these  simple  processes 
in    more    advanced    calculations-all    these    tell 
Against  the  easy  employment  of  th.  Chmese  writ  en 
characters  as  signs  in  the  carrymg  out  of  mathe- 
matical operations.     We  scarcely  aPP'-^'^^^; 
facilities   which  our   figures   give   us.      We  may 
picture  to  ourselves  how  cumbrous  it  would  be- 
to  fact,  ahnost  impossibK^to  carry  °"t«he  com- 
plex and  intricate  reckonings  connected  with  the 
w^le  branch  of  mathematical  subjects  m  vsible 
and   simple   signs,   were   the   Roman   meth.      ot 

.  It  is  interesting  to  find  that  there  are  several  Russian  customs 
Jd  Libts  sSto  to,  or  identical  with,  those  of  the  Chmese; 
"1^'r  tl^^al  Ihe  use  of  the  counUng-board  in  busmess, 
the  eating  of  melon  seeds,  &c. 

264 


Chinese  Geographers 

m.?h  ,,  ,  "  "  "^'  '*>=  C'>'"=«  have  a  simpler 
method  of  ar.tlune.ical  notation,  a  distant  2  n 

Le  triced  h""  f "'""  °'  ""'-^h  '"  O""  n«.y 
eL  !,  '  ''"''  "'°"«'»  ">"«  «i8ht  have  been 
employed  as  our  figures  are,  the  Chinese  hTve 
not  advanced  m  this  direction  beyond  a  facihl^ 
m    s,mply    expressing   numbers    by    them.      The 

t  ,s  only  the  process  of  reckoning  as  it  proceeds 
that  IS  temporarily  recorded,  pari  passu  %h^c 
.s  no  long  array  of  figures  to%o 'back  on^^^d 
detect  any  error  in  the  calculation,  nor  to  k^p 

Geography  has  been,  under  tne  old  system   an 
.mknown  study  to  the  schoolboy,  and  'he  ^o^ 

of  the  Chmese  hitherto,  who,  misled  by  the  name 
of  the  Central  Empire  (or  Middle  Kingdon^Hf 
he.r  own  bnd.  and  by  the  scant  knowledge  pos 
sessed  of  distant  lands  by  their  forefather!  Ce 
supposed  that  China  was  the  centre  of  the  wSi 
which  engrossed  nearly  the  whole  map,  whL  other 
nations  inhabited  islets  scattered  roun^'  tie  borJe  s 
of  this  projection  of  the  earth's  surface.  Though 
gnidgmg  space  for  earth's  kingdoms,  this  cur  "oS 
map  had  room  to  spare  for  the  Milky  W^y,  as  the 
Chinese  believe  it  is  connected  with  the  tL^ 
365 


11 


John  Chinaman  at  School 

Natural  Science,  it  may  well  be  supposed,  was 
not  thought  of.  A  most  unnatural  nescience  pre- 
vails :  most  ridiculous  things  are  believed  in  this 
connection,  worthy  of  our  own  Mediaeval  and  Dark 

Ag«!S. 

The  acquisition  of  his  own  language  was  the 
only  task  the  Chinese  schoolboy  had  to  set  himself 
to,  and  notwithstanding  it  was  his  own,  it  was  as 
difficult  as  the  learning  of  another  tongue  is  to  an 
English  boy  ;  for  though  he  can  speak  his  native 
tongue,  the  language  of  the  books  is  so  different 
as  to  take  years  of  unremitting  toil  to  acquire  a 
facility  in  its  use.  Many  a  boy  after  two  or  three 
years  at  school,  debarred  by  poverty  from  a 
thorough  education,  left  school  with  but  a  smatter- 
ing of  it,  which  was  of  but  little  use  to  him  in 
after  life.  Should  official  appointments  come  in 
his  way  when  a  man,  he  then  learns  Mandarin. 
To  be  a  polyglot  in  Chinese,  he  must  go  out  of 
h  own  land,  and  thus  in  some  foreign  port,  where 
the  different  speeches  of  his  many-tongued  country 
are  gathered  together,  in  the  mart,  and  amidst 
the  exigencies  of  trade  and  commerce,  he  neces- 
sarily acquires  more  than  one  of  them. 

Memory  was  the  only  thing  exercised  at  first  by 
the  youthful  aspirant  to  Government  position  (for 
this  is  the  goal  set  before  the  student),  and,  in 
consequence,  he  simply  learned  everything  by  heart 
for  the  first  year  or  two.  It  is  much  as  if  our 
(youngsters,  when  first  sent  to  school,  were  set 
down  to  learn  off  by  heart,  without  any  explanation 
366 


First  Steps 


«  all,  Cornelius  Nepos  or  Cisar     Ti,-  i,    ,   . 
put  before  the  bov  did  rLT       ,       "  ^^^  ""' 
»««h.ly  .o  him  by^lVwrSnl  rh  ''"■?'  '"'"" 
of  three  words  each  ■    L,  ^^  '"  ""=» 

comprehension  oTt^ol^VSn'^-^H^'r  '"' 
few  passages  from  it  :-  ""*  *'*>  " 

^^^  son  d.d  not  Ie„n,  cut  out  the  [h^-wove] 

To  nurture  and  not  educate  is  a  fathers  error  ■ 

--e.dono.,:^-;X:;^«.^e.do.h.n 

As  gems  unwrought  serve  no  useful  end 

So  n,en  untaught  wiU  never  Unow":^rright  conduct  is." 

young  ent  thfs    "  ^''^^  '"'  '""=  '-'"""i-  of  the 

"^=-r-i-i--tig.... 

unique  boolc  i„  fLr-line  ve^se  L:'  ^  =""'.  '^  ^ 

a  thousand  characters      Th?'.         """^  °^  J"'' 
tnaracters.     The  story  goes  that  the 

367 


ll 


John  Chinaman  at  School 

author  (A.D.  550),  commanded  by  the  Emperor 
to  make  an  ode  out  of  these  thousand  characters 
handed  to  him,  did  so  in  one  night  ;  but  the  tour 
tig  force  of  the  effort,  accomplished  under  the 
fear  of  condign  punishment  if  ho  failed,  blanched 
his  raven  locks.  He  was  richly  rewarded  for  his 
great  mental  exertion  and  wondrous  feat.  How 
any  mortal  brain,  its  actions  confined  within  such 
arbitrary  limits,  could  accomplish  the  superhuman 
task  is  a  mystery.  This  second  book  begins 
thus  ;— 

"  The  heavens  are  sombre  ;  the  earth  yellow  ; 
The  whole  universe  [at  the  creation]  was  one  wild  waste. 


A  common  third  book  is  one 
Children,  in  pentameter  verse, 
specimens  of  it  : — 


'■nt'*'^d  Ode.':  for 
Here   are   some 


*'  It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  to  educate  children  ; 
Do  not  say  that  your  families  are  poor, 
For  those  who  can  handle  well  the  pen, 
Go  where  they  will,  need  never  ask  for  favours. 

One  at  the  age  of  seven  shewed  himself  a  divinely  endowed 

youth, 
'  Heaven,'  said  he,  '  gave  me  my  intelligence  : 
Men  of  talent  appear  in  the  courts  of  the  holy  monarch. 
Nor  need  they  wait  in  attendance  on  lords  and  nobles. 

In  the  morning  I  was  an  humble  cottager. 
In  the  evening  I  entered  the  Court  of  the  Son  of  Heaven  : 
Civil  and  military  offices  are  not  hereditary. 
Men  must,  therefore,  rely  on  their  own  efforts. 
368 


I^rnlng  the  Claaalca 

'n  M  the  world  there  ul'l       'T"  ""  '"•»™»  ■■ 
"  l«  th.  hear.  otZn  1^.  .'s"1  '"■■"  '*  ''"P"'*""'-'  ■■ 

"  »l<">o  that  I.  wMlInK  rewlulion. 

Sow  /"arlZJ','""  "«"««"'  «holar, 
And  .II  my  WW  :3,i"  ""  'TV""""  ^""""• 

wno  have  children  thoroughly  educate  (hem." 

hands'"  Everwhtl'  *'"^  »""  ■"'"  "«=  '^hoorboy's 
tone,  the  oassac^  i,  ,'  '"""^   »ing-song 

this  his  progress  was  m„r       T,?"'^  '   ^  "■='  «^'" 

y«  it  was'„resri,n:r:;rd"V'?"^'  -"^ 

hooks  were  in  the  rl,il-,T  ^"fficult,  as  his 

book-lan^aee^Lt^'"^    T^'^''  °'  ^'>'"«'  »he 

terse,  sententious,  recondite   !^^        '^    '''•     ''  " 


I  ! 


I 


John  Chinaman  at  School 

This  memorising  was  varied  by  writing  lessons, 
which  began  with  the  tracing  of  good  characters 
through  the  thin  Chinese  paper  with  the  Chinese 
pen,  which  is  really  a  brush.  Further  advanced, 
the  scholar  learned  to  compose  antithetical  sen- 
tences, in  which  each  word  and  idea  balanced  one 
in  the  companion  sentence.  Essays  on  texts  from 
the  classics  formed  a  part  of  a  Chinese  liberal 
education  ;  and  the  making  of  verse,  the  counter- 
part of  our  students  writing  Latin  verse.  All  these 
taxed  the  Chinese  scholar's  powers  of  memory  and 
initiated  him  into  the  learning  of  his  country's  past. 
The  result  of  all  this  is  that  a  Chinese  well- 
educated  scholar  knows  his  classics  by  heart. 
Name  a  passage,  quote  a  line,  or  even  a  word  or 
two,  and,  though  there  is  no  index  to  them,  in 
a  few  minutes  he  will  point  it  out  to  you  in  the 
book,  with  its  context. 

He  is  thoroughly  imbued  with  all  the  principles 
which  govern  the  rulers  in  their  government  of 
his  country,  in  the  Government's  relations  to  the 
people,  as  well  as  those  which  control  the  populace 
in  their  relations  and  attitude  towards  the  pov/ers 
that  be.  His  thoughts  go  round  in  the  well-trodden 
circle  of  the  ancients.  Modernity  is  unknown  to 
him  ;  all  the  marvels  of  the  present  age  have  been 
hitherto  beyond  the  power  of  his  conception. 

But  here   we  must  put  a   full  stop  ;    for  the 

ponderous  tome  of  the  past  will  soon  be  a.  closed 

book  ;  a  new  voluue  is  being  opened,  and  though 

the  writing  in  it  is  uncertain,  yet,  as  confidence 

370 


Ct  mpetitiva  Examinations 

and  know  i.-i'irp  ,,  ,„  •     , 

-hich  the  .uture  w!^S  ,7.^'"'"  *^  ^"^'^ 
«°'-e    glorious    than    all    ,h  P'^'^"'  «''"  be 

crowded   book-shelves  of  th '    ""^^J^    dust-laden 
.Even  before  the  t4e  of  Co"^'''       '  '°  ''°"- 
ea-cation   was   gener^in   rv       '"'   ^'•*^-  55'). 
afforded  every  encouLl    ?'""'•  ^'^   '^'  ^'^'^ 
not  till  long  aftrr  the  rh       *  '°  "  '    ''"'  "  was 
authority  woke  \o    J    f^^'^^  "-,  »hat  those  in 
training-ground  for  the  r„      employing  it  as  a 
a  bulwark  to  the  State     so  T?'^""'  °'^"^'  ^"d 
short  of  the  throne,  wer;  throt  "^'"^  P°='=- 

talents  brought  them  the  .'T  °P"" '°  ^ny  whose 
'earning,  and  whose  abSLs^h'  '"'"^''°"^  « 
rented  their  mental  effo  '  r"  :^ '"''^'  '"PP'- 
be  said  that  the  people  in  rv  '^^'^  "  ""^^ 

'"e  people  ;  and  the  ^fl  of"!^  "'  ^""""^'l  "^ 
served  by  the  large  r^sl  °/  ^  '^"""'^^  '^  ^°"- 
systemof  educatiofprSed  atr^'  "'°™  ''''^ 
"^  all  on  the  side  of  pea"'  'nH  J^°'"  '"''^^^'^ 
It  was  late  in  ChiL-  T      ^  """der. 

'he  system  of  compete":  tV''  °'  '''^'-y  that 
Service  took  their  or£„  "^^^  "^'-""^  ^^  the  Civil 
laminations  was  before  th';  ^"^  '^"'''  °^  *ese 
;f^"-essfully  passet "  pe„ J°r  ™"'  -''-''' 
"nniedzate  or  prospective  emnlrr  ^^'"^^^   ^O"" 

of  the  State.     It  ^  sZ  Tf  J"'^'''  *"  the  service 

Service  ExaminatirstJtliS^''^^  °'  °-  C-" 
^  The  old  lamps  of  edtfc^^n  T.*'  ^''■■"««- 
bemg  changed  for  new  on^b'"  ""^^  "^  "ow 
---"Mam,theorC'-^«-rtt^ 


I  h 


i 


John  Chinaman  at  School 

power  to  produce  the  wonder-working  results  they 
achieved  in  the  past,  when  by  their  Ught  not  only 
China  was  illumined,  but  the  whole  Eastern  world 
about  her  as  well.  To  change  the  metaphor 
slightly,  the  old  dim  candles,  well  made  as  they 
were  in  the  age  which  produced  them,  have  nearly 
burned  out,  and  the  light  is  not  sufficient  for  the 
present  needs  of  the  nation.  They  have  been 
superseded,  not  by  dim  oil  lamps,  or  even  by  gas, 
but  by  the  brilliant  electric  light  of  modem  science 
and  knowledge. 

The  Chinese  scholar,  equipped  as  he  was  with 
all  the  knowledge  deemed  essential  in  the  Far  East, 
was  like  Dominie  Dobiensis,  described  in  Jacob 
Faithful,  who,  though  he  breathed  in  the  present 
age,  spent  half  of  his  life  in  antiquity  and  algebra. 
Substitute  the  Chinese  classics  for  algebra,  and 
you  have  the  man.  The  greatest  stimulus  to  exer- 
tion for  the  Chinese  student  is  the  example  of  the 
great  Government  mandarins  going  about  in  almost 
regal  state,  and  surrounded  by  what  appears  to 
his  eyes  as  the  height  of  luxury.  Every  incentive 
to  the  attainment  of  such  an  exahed  position  is 
paraded  before  him,  and  the  example  of  many  a 
poor  youth  who  has  risen  to  such  a  commandm^ 
height  is  held  up  before  him. 

But  the  old  order  of  things  is  changing.  The 
old  style  of  education  is  ceasing  to  be  the  pass- 
port to  official  employment.  Most  drastic  changes 
are  being  made;  a  regular  boaleversement  is 
taking  place.  All  through  the  Empire  the  old 
27a 


The  New  Learning 


to  a  back    heJ     n  f '?  ""  '"''"^  '«'«S««d 

"  "•*':«  snelt  ;    new  schoo  -books  ba^eH  ^Z  .i 

modern  knowledee  of  th^  n     ^7  "  '''^ 

places  on  the  desk,    "'^  °""''="'  ^'^  'aking  their 

their  best  with  the  lid  o"f,h      T'^If"  "=  ^'^'^^ 
'-e  an  .hey  caL'^^  tnd    h^  eTs  'r.^t' 

coming  ./j:^^:;,^  on?:  ■rcf  ."^"^  '^ 

on   earth     which    f«,  "'"^^^^  nations 

teacher  of  ofhet  U  ou^  ""/"  ^^^"^'^  ^"^^ 
beginning  to  Sat  th^f  T"^ /'"^'  ''''"  P"'^'-  -"^ 

that  were'^und  amt  of  and  t  ""'''"  """^  "^''°"= 
wild,  half  ^"1  '^"'^  ''^°'^  progenitors  were 
height  o.  *  IT^"  "'l^"  '^hina  was  at  the 
with  them  °"  '"''  ^^'^"^'"^"'  -^  compared 

whfrrttii^rjr  1  ""^-'^ '--  ''^  --. 

the  author  came  acrosl^eror"  K""""'  ''''' 
teachers  often  are  Toelu^;^S«'^,^:  °  J'  '^'^ 
learning  that  thev  are  ^tt^JJ-  ""=  "^^ 

eager  sLlarsr  but  the  :?t'h?d'°  '""""'  '°  ''''='' 
of  teachers  and  taught  to  ,1V  '  °"  "^"  P"' 

ffluch  as  possible   of  th  =°«ething,  nay,  as 

and  leam^rand  l  """'  *°'''^  °^  knowledge 
the  evenTotth  U  Te^  "a^r""'  "  '^'^'^ 

:^ci:iri:;:e!^:f?^^--"- 
-atoLfor„^/;j|rt:^,-^.;.. 


\^_ 


John  Chinaman  at  School 

of  world  powers.  Conceit  and  ignorance  have 
hitherto  clouded  their  sight,  and  pride  made  them 
disdain  the  idea  of  learning  from  the  barbarians 
of  the  West.  The  foremost  spirits  of  the  nation 
have  determined  that  the  reproach  of  being  unable 
to  hold  their  own  shall  not  continue;  and  as  the 
learning  and  science  of  the  West,  they  believe, 
has  made  Europe  and  America  great  and  power- 
ful, China  will  learn  these  Same  arts  and  mysteries 
of  knowledge,  so  as  to  regain  her  wonted  greatness, 
and  hold  up  her  head  once  more,  and  be  respected. 
The  lands  or  buildings  of  a  Buddhist  monastery 
are  seized,  or  resumed  by  the  Government,'  and 
their  halls,  lands,  or  funds  appropriated  for  educa- 
tional or  other  purposes  of  necessity  in  connection 
with  the  forward  advance  of  the  nation,  without 
a  word  daring  to  be  said  against  it— in  fact,  with 
the  approbation  of  a  majority  of  the  inhabitants. 
This  is  one  way  -f  meeting  the  great  expenses 
which  must  necessarily  be  incurred  at  the  present 
moment  in  China;  another  is  to  demand  by  a 
powerful  Viceroy,  from  some  wealthy  institution, 
a  contribution  for  the  needs  of,  say,  a  Provincial 
Government,  without  a  demur  being  made.  One 
of  the  late  Governors-General  of  two  of  the  largest 
provinces  in  South  China  mulcted  a  famous  and 
well-known  temple  in  the  sum  ot  $50,000  (say 
£5,000),  with  the  result  that  some  of  their  lands 

■  Many  of  the  religious  establioliments  are  largely  indebted  to 
Imperial,  patronage  and  liberality  for  their  primary  existence  or 
extension. 


Are  the  People  Educated  ? 

for  the  many  „e.  u^d  S"'"hr '"' T ^^ 
entered  into  amon<«f  ^k  ^  "**  "'^''^  being 
and  another  ^"f  U  ""  ''*°°'^  °^  °"^  ^in! 
the  requisite  InndstoZ"^  T'^'  '"'"  '"^  ""'-n 
inmates  mumbled  -„  "'  '"^^tution,  whose 

passive  -S'^tirhrr;Lifi';i''r  '- 

of  idle  «on.sl°ho3Jd:; -sTalt  is  ^r  V"".''^''^ 
Chinaman  of  intelligence  ^jf  Lf"'"''''-,  ^^^-^ 
Buddhist   monk   of  fhr  '   y°"   '^at  the 

^/tisadilfiirmXTS.f^.ra'^--- 

:"e=  tr  p  tr  -  -  per;: 

been  said,  it  will  .^gathered  t^^t''  '"   "''^^^^^ 
of  the  boys  are  unablffn  """^  at  least 

school  to'bcnefit"  mucV  yT'sm^n^  "''"'''  '' 
■nstruction  they  have  received  T  •  ^'"°l'"'  °^ 
well-to-do,  as  a  rule  thaTarrf  ■  ,  "  ""'^  "^^ 
according  to  the  standT/ds  of  t^^  '  "'"  ^''"'^^'^^' 
we  have  seen,  are  not  wellXte,'^  -hich,  as 

for  the  world  of  the  present  day         '""'"  '''™ 
sch2rbetrerher;rr°^^°-''--'-e 

difficult  Chinese  language,    thev'r"^'"*^^    "'^ 
their  daily  rirp    u^^f,  '^  ^°  out  to  earn 

character '    TaL^^  !  TT"''^  °'  "'^  ^^ne™ 

"P  words  here  and  ther^°^'-  T'^  '^'^  <=»  P'ck 

--wledge-tf^-VS-^^M 


John  Chinaman  at  School 


understand  thoroughly  what  they  see  before  them. 
To  many,  the  result  of  some  years  of  study  is  that 
a  simple  book  is  understood  more  or  less,  but 
it  must  be  written  in  a  most  easy  style.  Even  with 
a  plain  style  it  often  happens  that  many  passages 
and  words  must  be  passed  over  without  more  than 
a  guess  at  their  meaning,  and  often  not  even  that. 

Schools  have  abounded  all  over  the  Empire; 
every  village  has  at  least  one;  but  years  of  study 
are  required  to  ground  even  a  Chinese  boy  in 
the  elements  of  his  own  language,  though,  as  has 
been  already  said,  Chinese  is  the  only  language 
learned,  and  all  his  attention  is  devoted  to  it  alone, 
and,  if  he  wishes  to  be  well  educated,  all  his 
energies  must  be  concentrated  on  it  solely  for  ten 
or  twenty  years  of  his  life.  Sooner  or  later  this 
beautiful  but  cumbrous  language  will  have  to  burst 
its  bonds  of  antiquity  and  appear  afresh  in  an 
alphabetical  form. 

There  is  an  eagerness  for  education  which  it 
would  be  difficult  to  find  surpassed  by  any  nation 
under  heaven.  Society  is  divided  into  four  classes, 
and  scholars  head  the  list,  to  be  followed  by 
farmers,  labourers,  and  lastly  merchants.  The 
apotheosis  of  the  scholar  is  the  mandarin,  and 
the  schoolmaster  is  most  highly  honoured,  though 
in  the  very  depths  of  abject  poverty.  The  teach- 
ing profession,  instead  of  being  one  to  be  despised, 
is  one  of  the  highest  in  China. 

In  the  scheme  of  education  which  has  prevailed 
in  China,  the  female  element  may  be  left  out  of 
376 


Progress 


Mlculation,  for  hfK, 
negiigiWe  quamit^tts i"  'jf^  '^"  -"»°«  « 
?_  «'oman  who  can  read  h'"^  ""'^  =°««  across 
Curing  the  twent/S  trt"  "  """^  occurrence 

Notable    cases    of    edu™"^  ""'"'^y  ^^tMished 
«Ploits  emblazcn.d  on  'hi       ''°'"^"    *--«    S 

-o«hies.not.ithstaX,,frH'r'  °'  ^^■"^e 
l^y'  and  have   been  esteji  w  ^"''"''"'' '"  *heir 
Now  a  g«„d  future  is  or^'!"''  °"   'hat  accoun 
'"e  boys  but  the  ^rirrS"'  "°'  °"'^  ^O' 

The  number  who  h  "^• 

'°  China  for  some  yea^  '''^'"  *^  BA.  degree 

t-hmese   graduates   now  liT     ^'^  "'^  7oo,ooo 

^77  *"cfl  a  very 

r 


If 


■h\ 


John  Chinaman  at  School 

difficult  thing  as  it  has  been  in  China.  How 
greatly  the  difficulties  of  education  in  our  land 
would  be  increased,  difficult  enough  as  they  are 
now,  if  all  the  children's  books  at  school  were 
written  in  the  language  of  Chaucer! 


278 


CHAPTER   XXII 

J°h°  Chinaman  Out  of  n 

JnwKT  °^  Doors 

°"N    CHINAMAN   lives    v 
^^°°f3.     Before  the  o^„  "'^  """^h   »«   of 

door  has  n^      -1  '"^'"  buiJdinL      tI     '^/  ^""■ 
the  ome/T'"'"^  ">roughout?he  eJ^"'  '''"  °P«" 

o'defof^"   °"   'Kr  fl  °"^^"    "--- 
'n  the  south  all  fh  ^t  "Mansions.  """ 

''.=^^«"  that  blo«^  ^Th-^' «.P°^«'d  to  everyw,^*/'^ 

^nittr^^-^aK:  :?,r  "^''  ■■-'^"^ 

'^^  -conditions  prevalent      tT  ^"^^  the  i„. 
,yg   ■     ^''«  m'W  condition 


^;i 


John  Chinaman  Out  of  Doors 

of  the  weather  during  the  greater  part  of  the 
year  also  fosters  al  fresco  meals  and  an  open-air 
life. 

To  make  up  for  this  free  open  life  during  the 
day,  John  Chinaman  shuts  himself  up  at  night  in 
the  closest  atmosphere  possible  in  cabin  or  bed- 
room, and  in  cold  weather  rolls  himself  up  in  a 
cotton  quilt,  head  and  feet  and  body,  till  he  looks 
like  a  corpse.  How  he  manages  to  brcalhc  ^in 
this  bundled-up  condition '  is  a  mystery  ;  but  he 
seems  to  -irvive  all  right,  and  be  none  the  worse 
for  it. 

In  the  hot  summer  nights  many  a  house  empties 
the  sleepers  out  of  doors— at  least  as  far  as  regards 
the  men-folk.  Many  of  them  lie  in  the  streets  on 
boards  or  mats  or  bamboo-beds.  Some  mount 
to  the  roofs  and  sleep  on  the  drying-stages  whicli 
most  of  the  houses  have  for  drying  clothes,  or  for 
sunning  vegetables  of  one  sort  or  another.  Occa- 
sionally, like  Eutychus  of  old,  one  heavy  with  sleep 
may  descend  more  rapidly  than  safely  (such  a 
thing  '.as  been  known),  and  sleep  his  last  sleep 
with  no  Apostle  Paul  to  waken  him  out  of  it. 

On  certain  days,  such  as  the  Dragon  Boat  Feast, 
the  whole  family  of  John  Chinaman  goes  out  of 
doors,  and  the  river-bank  is  lined  with  spectators 
to  see  the  boat-races.  Father,  mother,  sons,  and 
daughters,  together  with  the  slave-girls  conveying 
pipes  for  the  ladies  to  smoke  and  also  carrying 
the  babies,  are  the  happiest  of  the  happy  throng. 

On   the   annual   Tomb-Worshipping  Day  there 


>r8 

of  the 
pen -air 

iiig  the 
light  in 
IT  bcd- 
ip  in  a 
c  looks 
alhc  |in 
but  he 
;  worse 


empties 
regards 
•eets  on 

mount 
s  which 
,  or  for 

Occa- 
th  sleep 
[such  a 
it  sleep 
it. 
X  Feast, 

out  of 
ectators 
ins,  and 
nveying 
;arrying 
throng 
.y   there 


!  r. 


tf!l. 


\'  "^m 


u^\..>*^ 


^  '^^i;   ' 


Country  Excursions 

Lir    I..        . 


•''  "   fi'Kular  exodus   ini„  ,h, 

>."""g  Ba.hcT  round  .he  "ami  T""!;'^      '""  «"<' 

»'d<.-=.  outride  the  ci.y  wal  !     L'"'''  ""  "'<'  hiH- 

«"'"flec,ions  and  offerTn'     Z^:  ""^  "'«^n,„nial 

other  eatable,,  ,|,c  burn'w  o^  ■'^'''^'  ""''  '"*'  and 

•■•nf  'he  adding  of  ^Z?       '""''"'"  '""'  "-rfles 

-";<  on  ,he  mound  oveL°d  '°,  "^  '"^"'"  ^^    ' 
'"  the  open.  ""=  ^«='"'.  'he  fannly  pi,.„j, 

heauri?urS,^;j;,  »  ">onns,ery  i"  some  of  ,he 
».'""<=  of  China's  teeminr  ""  "  '''"'  J^-^ney  of 
"-^-  'n  the  cool  air  Sil'"  T  '^"-^  -"'c 
^'th  a  summer  out^!  ^t^^"^  ''""''""^  ""-*='« 
'n'^nts  for  the  use  of  such  r.  ^''  '"""^  "^  -tPart- 
">=  sods.  Ladies  al so  1,,^^'  °'  ''=""''-  '•"cl 
opportunities  to  go  into  r«  iaf"""''"  °'  ">-«= 

An  immense  amount  of  tru  ir 
C'"na,    ,,rincipally,    almost    1^        '"*■'  ^'""^^  ""   >'. 
purposes;    and  day's  .Wp'orT'''-^"'    ''"^'"«=*=' 
are   taken   for  purchases  '         T^  ^"""^^^  <=ven, 
^'^'ts  to  markets'^   It-^iofthe^        °'  ^°"^^   and 
■"an  manages  to  get  a  llf  ."'*^' J°''"  ^hina- 
""thout  definitely  fe,ti„e^^i'^^'=  °f  f^esh  at 
.    John  Chinaman  and  W,       "^  '°'  "''"  P"rpose 
•"'"ested  in  thea.rica,^  and  T'"'''"'^  are  IcLly 
an  open  shed,  wher?trfoL°f"  ""=  '''^«*^"=  '^  hut 
days  and  nights  in  succesZ  "'''  T  ^°  °"  ^r 
°n  the  heel  of  another  with  1:  ""'  "^^  '"""^^'"S 
The  journey  by  road  T  '0!^^  '"  '"'«""i«'on^ 
^■de  around  to  the  centre  of         "  '^'  '^"""try. 
-<^^    '>'«hday    3tartrThe°'.--j;.  '^"-e  ^a 


i  *    T| 


John  Chinaman  Out  of  Doors 

good   outing   to   the   natives   of   the   surrounding 
parts. 

Much  of  the  buying  and  selling  and  marketing, 
instead  of  being  carried  on  indoors  and  in  roofed- 
over  buildings,  is  done  just  outside  the  front  door. 
There  is  no  need  to  go  shopping,  for  the  shops 
come  to  you;  at  least,  the  street -hawkers  pass 
along  in  almost  constant  succession.  Especially 
is  this  the  case  with  those  selling  food  at  meal- 
times. Now  it  is  a  silk-floBs  man  with  his  two 
dark -wood  cupboards,  like  mammoth  armoires,  but 
a  mass  of  drawers,  in  which,  as  he  opens  them, 
the  richest  gleams  of  soft  silk  glint  in  the  glorious 
sunlight  with  golden  hues  and  all  the  colour  of 
the  rainbow.  Soberer  shades  .of  braid  and  all 
thR  many  other  etceteras  which  are  attendant  on 
a  lady's  wardrobe  are  to  be  found  nestled  here 
and  there  in  his  drawers. 

The  mistress  and  her  maids  gather  round  him, 
as  he  discloses  his  treasures,  and  the  slave-girls 
also  admire,  while  the  serving-women  handle  and 
advise  and  give  their  opinion  on  the  merits  and 
demerits  of  his  stock,  with  the  freedom  which 
the  Oriental  household  allows  to  all  its  inmates, 
however  humble  they  be.  Bangles,  rings, 
bracelets,  odds  and  ends  of  silk-Boss,  all  care-, 
fully  rearranged  in  their  receptacles,  he  shoulders 
his  burden,  and  goes  down  the  street  hghtened 
by  a  few  ounces,  while  his  purse  is  heavier  by 
a  few  cash.    Twirling  his  rattle  this  chapman  dis- 


appears. 


a83 


Food  Hawkers 

b"y  oil,  as  here  comes  '1,^?  ,f"'""'  """^'^'P'  *" 
brown    tubs.    f„i,   „f   ,™  "■'""'an  with  his  dark- 

"«"-ly  all  the  Chinese  Lt'°"  ^''^  ^^ich 
The  same  oil  servSrthr^"^""^  "  accomplished, 
'"uminant  before  the  iltroH^.'""'"'' '^"P"  ^  =« 

Next  comes  a  fish  ?..>•?  °^  ''"°'^^- 
'ying  alive  in  their  oI'T  ""''  «"=^'  ^^  carp 
flat,  shallow  wood  ^  tuTs  tT'  '"  "'^  ='^^"'"^ 
of  herrings,  which,  beiLg  'J,  ,e    T  m   ^  'P^^ 
about  in  the  water,    of  Zt;     ^  ^""^  '°  ^P'ash 
a  load  of  white  rice-fish    1  !"^''  ""^^  ^^'^ 
•»ites   with   two  tin?  btk  '1'.^'""/'"*^'  ««'<= 
none  of  these  are  fo  th.  .    '^      '   ^""^  ^^^s.    If 
diner,  then  let  hTm  wait  a  f  °'  ''''  ^""'''■"e 

ofher  kinds  of  pond  or  fresh"  """"'"''  ^^  ^^me 
along,  heralded  b/the  str^..""'^'"'  ^'^  *'"  come 
If  great  tench  are  IVttT  "^  °^  '^"=  ^«"J°rs. 
has  already  been  cut  up  Id  is  .'''"''  *  '"'^«  «=»> 
'«y.this  nian  carries''rte?l?°"''K^''^'^«- 
cut  nght  down  alone  the  Zl!  1  ^  '"''•  '»  i^ 
blood  is  smeared  alf  oler  fhf  "^"'''  """  *''«  '-^^ 
fish.  *"  "^^"^  the  white  flesh  of  the 

His  steelyards  are  with  !,;_ 
"awkers.  and  he  wll,  "Uv  '  "  T*  '"  *"« 
quantity  you  want,  or  if  ^t  t  ^,  7«'',  ""e  exact 
hook  him  up  by  the  J  Is  '  h  ,  '  ^'^  '"=  '^"l 
weight,  while  the  ^^  fis^l  ''«  '°"  '°'°-  bis 
qujvering  suspendedTthe  air   .n^l'^'™^   '«<' 


:.  m 


'ffl 


John  Chinaman  Out  of  Doors 


the  street, 
you   want, 


But  if  it  is  a  tasty  piece  of  salt-fish 
the  salt-fish  man  with  his  sun-dried 
fish  in  his  huge  basket-ware  carriers  will  supply 
your  wants  with  his  stock  in  the  same  way  at 
your  very  door. 

Now  that  the  fish  is  provided  for  breakfast  or 
dinner,  what  about  vegetables?  They  are  also 
forthcoming  in  the  same  way,  each  peripatetic 
vendor  of  these  often  having  but  one  kind,  though 
sometimes  several  sorts  are  found  in  the  baskets 
of  the  man.  They  are  carried  in  the  way  usual 
for  bearing  loads  in  China,  viz.,  in  two  baskets 
suspended  from  the  ends  of  the  carrying-pole  or 
bamboo,  which  latter  is  laid  across  the  shoulder, 
and  changed  from  one  shoulder  to  the  other  when 
the  man  is  tired.  The  bearers  of  these  and  other 
burdens  often  have  callosities  and  great  lumps 
on  the  shoulders  from  the  constant  loads  they 
bear— loads  greater,  one  would  suppose  at  times, 
than  mortal  flesh  could  stand. 

Almost  everything  John  Chinaman  needs  can 
thus  be  bought  on  the  streets.  Not  only  the 
necessities  but  tasty  luxuries  as  well— sugar-cane, 
oranges,  water-melons,  all  kinds  of  fruits,  sweet- 
meats, pickles.  A  perambulating  soup-kitchen  will 
occasiotially  pass.  The  owner  announces  his 
arrival  by  clapping  two  bits  of  bamboo  together. 
Occasionally  a  travelling  lending-library  will  come 
down  the  street,  with  well-stocked  bamboo  book- 
shelves. Of  course  its  staple  commodities  are 
novels,  and  in  a  well-to-do  family  there  may  be 
384 


Shopping 


them.     ^  '"'  '=''"^«ers  to  be  able  to  read 

-^"^  o„'tou°rdtir  £  °^  -''=  *"  "'e  street 
"e  no  shops  or  Ss  Th"  ■"'""  "'"'  "'"^ 
number  of  them  ■   or,j   1  •  "^  ''"  immense 

''^e  that  thX.?p^s'=i:e"  ^'r?"'^^■^^ 

monitory  syr^ntol     rf   """"  ^-^  ^  few  pre! 

The  Whole  coLlts'of  the  sLrr"  • 
--lis  or  displayed  on  shelves  or  Tn  th"^'"''  °" 
the  more  valuable  ware,  in  ^Ji  '  *'"'  ""e  of 
'°  you  (except  in  the  cTse  nf^  '  T"''  ^"^  ^'^■'"e 
-  you  Pass^long  thHtreer^f'""'^"'^'"''^) 
conspicuous  by  their  Th,.         '  r.       """"^""^  "e 

of  manufacture'!    being  carried  ^""  ''^  """- 
-om^'^L.XraLf^^^^^^^^^^^ 

-ie^:^/s,i:Lf"^^-^'^^a 

the  price.  ^        '  *°  ''^"  y°"  beating  down 

to  him.  ^"  '^°"''  -l»--h  is  a  delight 


John  Chinaman  Out  of  Doors 


shopman  is  willing  to  sell  this  article  for,  to  be 
told  a  figure  ridiculously  high,  perhaps  twice 
what  it  is  worth.  He  meets  this,  after  having 
pointed  out  some  defects,  or  the  low  quality  of 
the  goods,  by  offering  considerably  less  than  its 
value.  ("  It  is  naught,  it  is  naught  [it  is  worth- 
less], saith  the  buyer  :  but  when  he  is  gone  his 
way,  then  he  boasteth." — Prov.  xx.   14.) 

Each  side  raises  or  lowers  its  prices,  and  so 
the  higgling  goes  on  till  John  Chinaman  finally 
retreats  into  the  street,  if  he  is  not  there  already, 
as  if  to  leave  such  high-priced  goods  alone,  while 
the  solicitous  shopman  follows  him  to  the  very 
door,  if  not  out  of  doors,  as  he  rapidly  reduces 
his  terms,  in  the  hope  of  bringing  his  prospective 
customer  back. 

Walks  for  the  sake  of  walking,  when  we  walk 
along  the  streets  or  roads^  swinging  our  arms 
and  stepping  out  with  vigour  and  drinking  in  the 
fresh  air,  are  nearly  tmknown.  Chinese  men  will 
sometimes  say,  not,  "  Let's  go  for  a  walk,"  but, 
"  Let's  walk  along  the  street."  This  is  almost 
as  much  to  see  the  sights  in  the  streets  as  for 
exercise.  Occasionally  they  may  be  seen  saunter- 
inir  along  a  coimtry  road  near  a  city  ;  but  their 
whole  attitude  and  bearing  is  as  far  from  our  idea 
of  what  a  walk  is  as  England  is  from  China. 
An  Englishman  takes  his  dog  out  for  a  walk. 
A  Chinaman  would  never  think  of  a  canine  com- 
panion walking  along  the  road  with  him  ;  but 
he  will  take  his  caged  lark  out  into  the  open 
386 


■»  iir.ixn  MK 


l^^n.^^•| 


I 
I 


i 


i 


Amusemenis 


while    he    stands    Z?  ^°*"  '"  ""=  K'-a^s, 

creature's  iovor    '"'' ,^»J°y=    'he    brisk,    livei; 
beside  the'cage  "'"  '"""  °"  "is  haunchj 

i-a^uSd^irnLr^crLsr-  - 

-eking  a^reaA  of  air      '°""-™°'^  """^^  -« 

formers  trrels"'  '"f  ^"^  ^  ""^  -"  ^^ 
shoes  be  used  to  kTck  the  'h  '",''  ^'^^  °^  "«= 
while  boys  watch  or  i  h  •  '''""'«^°^k  by  men, 
but  feet,  at  l«ll  '^  "*'"■  P'""'^«'  ««  hands 
do  the  ;ame  "S  aTal^  i""  "^"'=^'"'  «° 
well  as  by  boys      Wh^'^^       "^   ''^  '"^"  ^ 

:;--iarathSr^e~"t.^rS 

J^-^ziSr  v:\ '-' '»-''  °^  '"'^ 

in  the  streets.    If  "hev  v.Z^  ^'^  '°  ''^  ««^" 

and  pretty    thev  »     '^      T'^  °"*'  ^"^  ^re  young 

of  theloSrs   whoZ'        T'^"'  '°  "'^  J^" 

to  a  temple,  &c.,  thf  proo^  .""  °'  °"  *  ^''" 
;eda«.hair,  ani  thus^^^Uh'"  Ifnd':  fV  ^ 
the  lady  is  almost  invisible  to  tl  °'*"' 


if!  11 


John  Chinaman  Out  of  Doors 

her  woman-servant  or  two  rapidly  trotting  behind 
her. 

Wealthy  gentlemen  are  very  fond  of  what  arj 
called  gardens  laid  out  in  their  grounds  or  in  the 
suburbs,  and  here  the  ladies  of  the  family  may 
disport  themselves.  There  are  no  flower-beds, 
almost  all  t  e  plants  being  in  ornamental  pots 
of  various  shapes  and  designs.  Some  flowering 
trees  are  rooted  in  the  ground.  Even  with  or 
without  a  garden,  plants  will  be  found  in  pots 
or  ornamental  stands  in  the  courtyards.  The 
nearest  approach  to  flower-beds  is  the  enclosing 
against  a  wall  of  a  bank,  or  trench  rather,  of 
earth,  which  is  raised  above  the  ground  ../  a 
low  wall  on  the  outside.  This  wall  is  mainly 
formed  of  open-work  ornamented  glazed  foot- 
square  tiles.  In  the  soil  placed  within  these  large 
sort  of  troughs,  plants  are  grown.  Bamboos  droop 
like  lovely  Prince  of  Wabs  feathers,  while  plan- 
tain or  banana-trees  flap  their  enormous  long  and 
broad  leaves  in  the  breeze,  if  any  reaches  them 
in  these  enclosed  and  secluded  spots.  A  garden 
is  not  complete  in  China  without  a  pond,  or  a 
succession  of  them.  Once  provided,  it  or  they  are 
immediately  filled  up  with  the  large  peltate  leaves 
of  the  lotus,  which  rise  a  little  above  the  surface  of 
the  water,  each  as  large  as  a  small  tea-tray. 
Long,  rambling  bridges  lead  to  little  summer- 
houses  perched  up  in  the  centre  of  the  water. 
In  other  parts  one  comes  across  rock-work 
of    the    most    marvellous    construction,     adding 

an 


li 


.1 


I  i 


m 


k 


Private  Gardens 


Place'  ""'•  "  "•*   •»»-  "Pect  of  .he  whole 

■n  their  miniature  preciD^u!?  T""''  ^'■°'"'1"« 
"'eps.  The  paths  are  Ch  f  '  '""'  °'"'» 
in  pots  on  high  gU  'ed  "arjf  '""'  °'  P'»"'^ 
times  you  pasf  be^^een  two  rowT^f  T"''  ^' 
tfif^se  pots,  trained  infn /k      u  °^  boxwood  in 

and  n.r„,  the  S'^d  htJsTeartf '^'  "'""''"'• 
°n  to  the  plants      A  n,?   .  earthenware  stuck 

where  a  th'aTrlcal  frou^ hired";  "7  "^  ^°™''' 
will  perform  before  Z^'f  '°'  *''*'  "'^'^asion. 
walls  to  place  p^^oVfl'""'' '"''"''^-  ^ow 
°P«>-work  green"^  azed  ?1T"  °"'  '"'"  "P  "' 
piquancy  to'.hese  ft  it '^  ^^^  '""•  f^  a 
"KS  will  be  found  here  Z7^u'  ^"^^  ^'''^^- 
Picnic.    ChineseTrt  h«  .  ^'"=™  "'ady  for  a 

ture.    pai„ti""s!  gej^  tS  "'  "''^''"•^''  '"™'- 

d-s    three4gerrtl?or:?    ^^^"^^ 
'f  rock,  uncut  or  but  litH-  »^      ^.     '^""S*  "ass 

deliciously  cool  on  a  bS      T"^'  ^"'°°"'  and 

Besides  all  the  Zvl  ^hT^  '"""""'^  ''ay. 

like  corrido  s    on   the   »  n  ""^  ''"  """^  ^'°i«"- 

"^    seen    alrn'osf  eLdle^  l^b   ' "'"'   '''^'^   *"' 
writings,   or  of   thr^!  ""^^    °^    ^^'a^sical 

".aster  hand.  ''°^^'  caligraphy  of  some 

objects,     nfs    iTves  Tnr^ch';;'"'  '""  '"^  --^^ 
--    with    a    whLe-i.^^^^^^^^^^ 


iP 


1  n 


aai 


John  Chinaman  Out  of  Doors 

domestic  sUve-girU,  when  no  men-folk  are  about, 
taking  their  pleasure  in  a  quieter  way,  except  for 
the  clatter  of  tongues.  The  sma''  feeted  ladies 
lean  on  the  shoulder  of  dependants,  as  they 
hobble  along,  their  cripi  1-d  state  preventing  any- 
thing in  the  way  of  vigorous  exercise,  and  the 
traditions  of  the  race  being  also  against  violent 
motion,  unless  necessity  demands  it. 

There  is  one  type  of  outdoor  attraction  which 
drav .  John  Chinaman  out  of  doors  by  the  hundreds 
ani  thousands,  and  it  is  very  similar  in  its  out- 
-omc  to  the  pageants  which  are  all  the  rage  in 
England  at  the  present  time  ;  but  the  fashion  in 
China  is  probably  century-old.  Under  the  name 
of  processions  there  is  almost  always  something 
of  the  kind  going  on.  Every  chance  of  having 
one  is  seized  on  in  China,  whether  it  be  in  con- 
nection with  religious  festivities,  a  marriage,  a 
funeral,  or  official  comings  and  goings.  Let  us 
begin  with  some  of  the  smaller  ones.  One  of  the 
saddest  is  that  that  takes  the  criminals  to  the 
execution  ground,  othciwise  used  as  a  potter's 
field.  The  street-gates,  consisting  of  upright 
bars  fixed  into  sockets  in  a  granite  slab  across 
the  street,  are  nearly  closed.  The  chief  things 
that  one  notices  are  the  half-stupefied,  huddled- 
up  human  objects,  each  carried  in  a  basket 
like  animals.  The  whole  business  is  soon  over, 
and  the  clay  furnaces  are  brought  out  again 
on  the  potter's  field  to  dry  in  the  sun.  A 
few  corpses,  minus  the  head,  are  carried  off  for 
290 


street  Sights 


interment,  uid  exe,„,  , 

'he  narrow  M^»\^  """'.  ""^denly  i„  one  of 
"PidJy  Pa..ing'a,orth/.rr,"""'  '^"^'""'''^ 
■»  «he  wretched  ,hS"\hoi,~  •'""'""  '"  ^^ich 
■nent  out  of  door«  Ldh^-         u""""»  '''»  P^n^h- 

»"d  exhibited,  .„  ha^  Jf  :""' ''^'^  '-"''"en  out 
»  -  most  im^ortanri^ofT^ '"«'-■  ^  8°n« 
«  each  beat  of  it  do\™  ^    ""»  PWession,  and 

•Wef'«  back.  As^STa.  Xh  ""^  ""  '''« 
*ard   in    which   thrLft   ""."'«,  «'eets  of  the 

"rough  the  unfonLt/  ;jrf.  ST'  '"  «°"' 

Otlil  out  of  donn  .. 

men,,  thougl  tt"ri  ^,r^,°^ 'he  other  punish- 
«ssion.  .uch,  for  inst^«  al  the*'"'^  °'  ^  P"" 
"W^«*.  or  wooden  coHar  '''="""«  f"    '  -' 

at  the  gate  ofTm,  *  *""  ■"  'he  stree      or 

6«'c  oi  some  court      tu^  .  •  -•  ^       ur 

'°  feed  himself    as   Z  t  '^'"""  "  ''••'' 

•enclosed  in  prevents  1^   ^^^^''O'k   Ws  necic  is 
his  mouth.  •"'  P""'°«  his  hands  up  to 

No  high  official  eoes  out  nf  k- 
residence,  without  TlZsZn"  tTX°'  "^^'^^ 
economical  in  their  Xes  tut  ^h  ?'"''"  ^'« 
°ften.  Three  reports  ,i<^  ,u  ^"^  ^ave  them 
'he  "great  man.'^  L  ouflaLj''  T^^  °"'  "^ 
"""■d  be  shorn  down  to^ts  1^  '"''"''  ">  "^"^'"n 
^...d  carriage  or  r;:r-rSr:o^-- 


'I  J 
r 


John  Chinaman  Out  of  Doors 

and  coachmen,  and  voild  tout;  but  the  stately 
booming  gong  has  to  herald  the  magnate's  pro- 
gress, as  the  beater  gives  regular  blows  on  it, 
and  lets  them  vibrate  and  fill  the  whole  air  with 
their  waves  of  sound.  The  insignia  of  his  rank 
and  the  posts  he  has  held  are  in  large  characters 
on  wooden  tablets.  A  big  official  umbrella  is 
carried  before  him,  fully  spread,  akin  to  the 
baldacchino  of  Italy  ;  a  monster  fan  on  a  pole, 
too  ;  then  his  lictors  rattling  iron  chains,  and 
some  attendants  behind  hita  on  ponies.  A  quiet, 
gaping  crowd  which  lines, both  sides  of  the  streets 
but  does  not  move  or  raise  a  sound,  stares  silently 
on  one  of  their  rulers,  who  has  risen  from  their 
tanks  to  this  exalted  position  in  his  eight-bearer 
sedan-chair. 

Marriage  and  funeral  processions  are  made 
little  of  in  England,  and  the  show,  except  in 
military  onf;s,  is  very  tame  and  commonplace. 
But  in  China  before  the  wedding  itself  there  arc 
two  or  three  preliminary  small  processions,  when 
the  presents  are  being  exchanged  between  the 
parties  and  the  bride's  trousseau  is  being  sent.  In 
the  latter  case  every  article  which  can  be  is  painted 
a  bright  red— the  colour  of  joy  and  rejoicing— and 
tables  and  chairs,  clothes-horse,  basin-stand,  and 
all  the  necessary  articles  for  housekeeping,  are 
paraded  through  the  streets,  little  ragamuffin  boys 
carrying  them,  or  not  much  cleaner  men  bearing 
them  on  their  shoulders  or  in  stands  or  suspeiided 

from  poles. 

392 


Processional  Glories 


Almost  every  nm 

he  shoulders,  and  mII  I  P°'"'  ''^ting  on 
n  a  grand  p;ocessio^^'antrr  t."^^'^^  °'^" 
^°n>^  m  here  and  the  e  t  !  ^  '^"^"="'  '^'"^s 
''aJf  a  dozen  or  a  dozen  or  ^  '""'■'"'  ^  ^'"'^^  of 
o^amented,  sometime'  .om^'^'  ^'^^^  ^"^  finely 
'"  '^'ont  of  the  pr^cLr  °"''-  ^"'  '^e  two 
bamboo-splints  a^d  „Z  "'  °'''"  ""'"^  of 
characters    on    them      rl  ^^P^""     ^«h     large 

'"ese   characfrs    rTp,est,^    -'^'^■•ng   ^'-"-0" 
P"3o„  being  married      Then   '    "T^""'    °^   'h'^ 
are  mterspersed  through   J,"  o^      °'  ""^''^'^"^ 
'he  a.r  with  their  noisy    W  P'""""'"".   rending 
^""nds  to  our  ears-J^^^  ^sW    '""^^'^'^cordanf 
boommg  go„g3,  clicking  drl^'^T''"'''  ''^^■"g. 
flutes,  and  guitars;  forbothT'  'u""  Aageolets 
;««ru.nents   appear   "n   tW™^ '^''^  and  wind 
through  the  streets.     Num.'   ^'1"'^   ambulations 
-■th   canopied   roofs,   or  "    ^t       t"  °^  ^'^"* 
onjamen.s  on  them.  "'"   '°   "'^  ^ky,   have 

Jn  the  case  of  a  woHj- 
a  number  of  sugar  „™      *^  P^-^ession,  one  has 
-"imals   and   dif^rent  Th      "'"'   ^  '"^  «hape  of 
^^^f^rwards  for  theXdr  n  "^1^ ""^   "Wects 
"-■e  spent  on   this   paraoh^m  r         "•"' °^ -""ney 

^Portant  thing  of  all  i^fhT  '  ''"'  '^^  '«°«t 
!"  .-hich  the  poor  i  rbH?;^''  ^l*^  ^"'^-n-chai 
''  -«  a  marvel  of  Ch„ese"  '  "  "'"'  ""  ^^^^e. 
and  tastefully  adorned  wfthnT";  profusely  carved 
'-''-•  On  a  J  ri«;:-J;f  kingfishers- 
J93  y  "  must  be 


/ 


John  Chinaman  Out  of  Doors 

perfectly  suffocating  inside  it,  and  a  poor  bride 
has  .been  drowned  before  now  wlien  crossing  a 
river  from  the  boat  having  capsized  with  the  heavy 
chair  aboard.  If  the  families  are  well-to-do,  such 
a  procession  is  no  mean  affair,  and  articles  by  the 
score  will  appear  in  this  strange  peregrination, 
requiring  hundreds  of  coolies  to  carry  them 
through  the  crowded  streets,  to  the  delight  of  all. 
The  Chinese  often  impoverish  themselves  over  their 
marriages. 

Funeral  processions,  ag^in,  can  be  grand  affairs, 
taking  an  hour  to  pass  a  given  spot.  The  shrill 
clarionets  pipe  forth  their  dirge  ;  but  it  requires 
a  trained  ear,  which  few  Westerners  can  attain, 
to  know  the  difference  between  this  and  the  joyous 
notes  of  the  marriage  strains.  Two  enormous 
mourning  lanterns,  of  course,  lead  the  way  borne 
aloft  ;  bands  of  musicians  perform  ;  a  sedan-chair 
contains  a  conventional  portrait  of  the  deceased  ; 
a  kind  of  portable  altar  is  borne  before  the  coffin, 
with  a  tablet  and  candles  with  sticks  of  incense, 
their  tiny  points  glowing  with  light. 

If  a  man  had  many  friends,  a  prominent  feature 
is  the  number  of  large  oblong  banners,  yards  wide 
and  many  yards  high,  in  mourning  colours— purple, 
and  blue,  &c.,  containing  suitable  inscriptions 
which  take  the  place  that  wreaths  occupy  with 
us.  The  huge  coffin  at  last  appears,  carried  by 
eight,  sixteen,  or  more  coolies,  sometimes  on  a 
catafalque,  but  with  a  red  cloth  thrown  over  it. 
And  then  comes  the  saddest  sight  of  all— the 
394 


I 

)ride 
ig  a 
eavy 
such 
'  the 
tion, 
:hem 
all. 
their 

airs, 
hrill 
lires 
tain, 
yous 
aous 
orne 
:hair 
5ed  ; 
)fiin, 
!nse. 


iture 
wide 
rple, 
ions 
with 
i  by 
in  a 
r  it. 
-the 


li 


14 


-^  ■  ^ 


:  >V.i' 


Wol  Processions 


""owners,  clothed  i„  coa«.  k 

heads,  holding  staves  witTwh,>  '^""^  °"  '''^i^ 

■n  their  hands  ;  and  X  wn  ''?'*'  """'1  'J-e-" 
dead  in  the  most  for^  anT^""'""'  *^"'"^  'he 
™«ation   money   is  V«tter.H  '"""""^-    ^^Per 

.••e  roads,  to  kLp  the  Iw  T  """  ^^^  along 
'■vmgor  the  dead  asTh/  ?  ^""^  "'""bling  th^ 
-d  finally  climbs  some  dif  7'^!  '""*  "^4 
on  some  high  ridgeTr  .f  ^^'^  ''"'-'''le,  where 
is  placed.  ^'^  "'  =^°P'"g  height  the  grave 

-'"Ut%^rrgetX'''-/-ivalo.a 
«>on  with  the  insignia  of  offiri  ,  'Z"""  ^  P~"s- 
-"th  charms  from  hfs  temS  ""^  ^"^  ^  "and 
a  fine  affair  with  sufficient  fjh'  '^^.  ^  ""^^^  '"to 
of  epidemic  thousand  "wi"t'"P"°"^-  I"  times 
one  of  the  grandest  of  These  '/"'"'.  '°  ^«  "P 
appear  the  moat  magnificent    ^"^^''O"'-     Then 

henchnessoftheircEr  Lt''"T'  '"^'"^  '" 
screens  of  embroidery  of  Jci^elh'^'VO"' ^°rgeous 

g'ass  ;   covered  stands   11*^"   ^'^"'««  and 
hundreds    of    bannere  's      1      "T  ^'^  '=^'''hles  ; 

=h;nes,withtheirrXu;s   "r';'°'^    '"    'heir 
"■J-ng    on     ponies     a^r'„     ^■■'''  hy  the  score 

characters;  tableaux SantsT^VM"^  ^'^'""^J 
beautifully  dressed  in  gZl?  '^"'''■'"  ^'^  &■>!«, 
on   stands   representing^  sf™";  '°^'""'^'''  "'^ried 


i/ 


'(■ 


.    ! 


John  Chinaman  Out  of  Doors 

in  length,  prancing  about,  supported  by  scores 
upon  scores  of  strong  and  healthy  young  men, 
whose  legs  only  are  visible  beneath  the  flowing 
silk  and  spangles  which  form  the  body  of  the 
great  monster. 

A  chapter  out  of  fairyland  is  revealed  when  a 
lantern-procession  is  seen.  Tens  upon  tens  of 
eigantic  fishes  made  of  gauze  illuminated  with 
lights  inside  and  lanterns  and  transparencies 
innumerable  is  a  sight  not  to  be  forgotten. 


CHAPTER   XXIIl 

John  Chinaman  indoors 

his  streets  aro  ,1  r  '  '  '''•^"  °"'  "f  doors 
and  boa  ds  toTh^.  °'''"  f  ''^"'^^  -''"  matting 
might  art/be  tdooT  't^'^Z  ''""'  "•^'  "' 
house,  if  it  is  of  Iny  s   e  ^  ^"'^  '"'°  ""'^ 

he  is  out  of  doon  aiL'^o?aCh"""\'"'^"' 
unless  it  be  the  Hvin^  .  '  *  Chinese  house, 

is  but  a  muhiptity  of  ho  *'  '''^  """^'^^^ 

may  say,  and^SehldturLT/ ^f "'  °"^ 
strings  wiU  allow,  and  almost  as  broad  a,"  """" 

tts\r"'norr""^"^'-'-"^^^^ 

s£hSS?--s= 

and  Plots  Of  aowersr^^p-^--^^^^^^^^ 


Hi 


John  Chinaman  Indoors 


not  understand,  he  will  have  a  fruit  garden  of 
oranges  growings  in  flower-pots,  and  flowers  bloom- 
ing all  the  year  round  in  similar  )x>rtable 
substitutes  for  plots,  which,  when  the  blooms  are 
past,  can  be  carried  away  by  the  florist,  and  re- 
placed with  seasonable  plants  bursting  into  bud 
and  afflorescence.  Thus  within-doors  John  China- 
man has  an  ever-circulating  garden. 

A  mansion  modestly  hides  itself  behind  a  plain 
brick  wall,  just  as  a  plain  man's  house  makes  no 
show.  In  the  one  case  the  bricks  may  be  of  a 
better  quality  and  more  neatly  pointed  than  those 
of  the  poor  man's  abode  ;  the  double  door  being 
of  good  hard-wood  and  more  prettily  decorated 
than  the  humble  dwelling.  It  may  be  safer  in  the 
East  to  shelter  oneself  from  the  public  view  ;  a 
flaimting  of  one's  wealth  is  not  always  advisable, 
lest  possibly  forced  contributions  be  demanded, 
and  one's  magnificence  suffer  at  the  expense  of 
one's  unwilling  munificence. 

The  streets  that  the  houses  front  on  are  mostly 
narrow,  and  paved  with  longitudinal  slabs  of  granite 
or  other  stone.  Two  or  three  s*eps  of  the  same  stone, 
as  long  as  the  front  of  the  house,  but  shallow  in 
height,  and  which  ahnost  form  a  part  of  the  strr 
are  placed  in  front.     No  garden  or  railings  div 
it    from    the    roadway.      Two    enormous    rotuii' 
lanterns  generally  hang  one  on  each  side  of  the 
door,  especially  on  the  first  and  fifteenth  of  tlv 
month.    These  swell  out  in  proportion  tt  the  great- 
ness of  the  master's  position,  till  often  a  Sir  John 
298 


street  Inecription. 


Falstaff  could  hid*  ;■,  — 

«  through  the  .op'  or  ^Lm  °''"!?^''"  «""«*  ««« 

round  lantern,  ,nuA  sr^LTo''  "  ""  '='°"««<=<' 
°f  he  big  ones,  with  the^S'-  r  h  ''^"  "^"'°" 
'"  large  character  on  it  aid  .  R  '  °'  "  ^P"''" 
character.  These  are  L  ^^""""^'^  "  »  ^ma" 
h^hted  at  night,  as  they  T  m  T"'^  ^"^^^'^ 
bnlhance.  Their  brillfancTi,  ''/"^  '^°^  'han 
"<=wly  put  up.  Once  us 'nden",;''"  '"^''  ^"^n 
*o  hang,  the  sport  of  wiS    '•"'"^  ^'"^  ^"'"'ed 

they  become  torn  and  sL^  V  '°  "«'  "e  long 
-"rk  showing  thrrughThtS''  f  ''''"°"  ^'*»- 
*wn-  The  grey-bW  hrV^"""^-  'ottered  and 
t-obrig.htred^«rips:f';f'  """  '^  «heved  by 
f °w„  each  side  ofV^r:^''''.  °"  "«^  *«" 
tences   written   on   them       n         \"'"''"ical  sen- 

another  piece,  often  Sfhe.l'/''"  ^""^^^^^  i*" 
*'*"  Blessings  mav  rf      '"^^S^ood  wish  that  "The 

-miiar  feliciLs^p'Lat " ot  °"  '""  '^"^ ■•  -  a 
P'eces  of  red  oblong  p^rnT'""'"  ""'^  A^e 
^h'ch  are  s„pp„,,,f/;^P;;  PerftM^^^^  in  strips. 

"as    the    tenant    oht«i„  7         '*'"^  "'■sh. 
examinations?     Then  Mm '^    '    ^^'^    at    the 
;n  hlack  characters  "„.":  sS^h'"^  "  ^«  ^""h 


John  Chinaman  Indoorft 

tinction,  the  notices  of  it  sent  to  him  are 
pasted  on  the  outside  wall  of  his  house,  like  great 
advertisements  a  yard  or  two  long  and  two  or 
three  feet  in  width.  The  colour  of  the  paper  and 
that  of  the  ink  varies  according  to  the  degree 
taken.  Sometimes  a  small  wooden  tablet  is  hung 
at  the  side  of  the  door,  or  a  piece  of  paper  is 
pasted  up  with  the  occupant's  surname  on  it. 

At  the  New  Year,  or  rather  just  before,  in 
preparation  for  it,  there,  is  a  scrubbing  and  a 
washing  outdoors  and  in.  If  a  house  was  never 
clean  before,  it  is  fairly  clean  now,  except  in  the 
dark  corners.  All  the  scraps  of  paper  flapping 
about  on  the  outside  wall,  as  mentioned  above,  are 
torn  down  and  fresh  put  up,  ready  for  the  great 
day  of  the  year.  Everything  looks  spick-and-span. 
But,  alas  I  many  a  house  will  appear  in  mourning;; 
even  at  this  most  festive  and  joyous  time.  At  any 
other  season  of  the  year,  if  a  death  occurs,  the 
red  papers  are  torn  down,  and  white  ones  pasted 
up  in  their  stead  for  deep  mourning,  to  be  replaced 
later  by  blue  ones  for  half -mourning. 

At  such  a  time  the  gay-coloured  lanterns  are  out 
of  place,  so  mourning  ones  arc  hung  up.  A  pecu- 
liarly shaped  ornament  is  hung  over  the  door, 
draped  in  white,  and  its  rods  covered  with  white. 
A  mat -shed  is  put  up,  and  rises  above  the  narrow 
street.  A  white  paper  stork  is  hoisted  high  on  .1 
bamboo  pole,  with  a  gigantic  sort  of  tassel  of 
white  paper  with  streamers.  A  long  funereal  in- 
scription On  white  paper  with  a  peculiar  border 
300 


Mourning  Symbois 


or  ^^oZ\!igu;.^;yif  '"  '""«^''  "«<*  "  yard 
"'«  house,  an^d  p  otec  ed  fr'  ""k'^  °"'"  -»''  "' 
mat  roof  over  it  ^  '~'"  "»e  weather  by  a 

•nf .::  S'ftrrL^s 'it^'a  1  '^  '^'  '"°--^- 

<=«ffin  clothed  in  the  coarsest  h""'  '"""*  '"e 
l^'o'h  of  an  almost  yeZThl     T"  """"^-^hed 
'^'"■■e  imaginable.     Though  n"°*  ""=  '°<>^»' 
'"f^.  strange  to  say  blue  cIo,hL        "  half-moum- 
!»".  or  the  whole  nation  nt  .  ^  "  ""'  """"niing  at 
'"«•    Blue  cord  brSeVSh""".  "^  '"  '"-">- 
denotes   slight   tnourn.W  ^h      t"'^  °'  ""=  '>»<'"'= 
"hoes  also  show  that  a    '^     "'^"'   '^^''P-      The 
-me  of  the  ornaments  ?„      ''  '"  '"°"'""«'  «"<! 

The  main  doorTachn       T""*"''  ^air. 
-assive  and   large  'an^J^/'',''-- -  two-,eaved. 
•nansions;   outside  it  Trt  fn:"""''   '"  Sood 
'-h'ch  only  reach  hllf  „,  two  ,''>,°V'«'""  ^°°^^. 
"P-     A  small  railin7ru°     T^'^"^  of  the  waj' 
,'^-'-s,  and  a  ra, ta^  o7  ba i"^  l"^  '°P  »'  '"es 
he  jutting-up  portions    atTh^^H""""  ^°«  o-r 
'■"'=  do-s,  and  holds  ^hemtolt^''''  °'  ""^  "^° 
a  wooden  bolt  as  welj     th      ^"''"'  ^"^^  'here  is 
''"•Se  woodc,  bolts.     SotnetL""'"  ''°°"  ''^^'^  "^o 
mercanti,     houses,  a  fr^eS  "/"^"V"  '"^'^ 
«"  be  shot  back  and  Sward  .?    T'^""  ''^" 

Stepp  ng  insidp  =.  i,-  ,  ",   ^rd  as  a  door. 

-''  w"hi/wHa?V^;^;  'hreshold,  -e  finds  one- 

"  -,  placed  athwart  t^e'^hou"  '"'T''"'''''  •    ^ut 

"P   -o   .he   house.   Is   wi^h'u's "','""  ""   -" 

30,  '   "   "nder  a 


■III 


John  Chinaman  Indoors 

separate  small  roof.  On  one  side  will  be  found 
a  shrine  to  some  god  ;  it  may  be  simply  a  piece 
of  red  paper  with  some  deity's  name  on  it,  and 
incense  is  burned  twice  a  day  before  it. 

At  one  side  may  be  found  the  gate-keeper's 
lodge  or  room,  if  the  family  is  in  such  a  position 
as  to  warrant  the  keeping  of  such  an  important 
individual.  There  is  no  door-bell  or  knocker  at 
the  door.  More  primitive  styles  are  necessary  to 
attract  the  attention  of 'the  inmates,  if  there  is  no 
porter  :  and  these  are  various— rattling  the  door, 
banging  it  with  imibrella  or  fist,  or  slapping  it 
with  flat  of  hand,  and  shouting,  must  at  times  all 
be  resorted  to.  The  delay  is  often  considerable, 
and  awkward  in  heavy  rain. 

Facing  one  as  one  enters  the  front  door,  and 
but  a  few  steps  further  on,  a  row  of  tall  double- 
leaved  doors  stretches  across  the  way.  The  doors, 
it  may  be  remarked,  have  most  primitive  old- 
world  hinges,  such  as  were  used  in  our  land  in 
bygone  times.  A  stick  projects  at  top  and  bottom 
of  door  and  works  in  a  hole  made  for  it  in  stone 
or  wood  let  into  the  floor  and  in  a  beam  at  top. 
These  wooden  projections  set  in  sockets  act  very 
well  in  the  place  of  hinges. 

When  one  has  penetrated  thus  far  into  a  Chinese 
mansion,  one  begins  to  understand  the  construction 
of  Chinese  houses.  Roof  follows  roof  in  succession, 
with  open  paved  courtyards  between.  Side- 
cloisters  on  each  side  of  the  courtyards  join  the 
main  buildings.  These  buildings,  linked  loosely 
■ya 


Wthla  the  HouK 


">«  central  ranfre  of  b^M-  '"  °'  "'°"'-     To 

»««"iary  ra„ge,V.iaf  r  '"  *  '^^«*=  "--", 
"n.  "ranged  in  the  ^e  T'"''  """y  be  linked 
connected  by  a  doorw^        '""'■■  '"°"«"de,  and 

"oe^^-^^r/!:;':;;--- ^..e. 

P°"-     There  are  bT"eJ  '*> h"*""  ''^^  '"  ""-«•- 
^°o"mChi„e,ehoL;    -Th    ""?   '' •^"'"■'   "«  of 
does  not  lend  i„elf  readily  ^  T-  1   "-''-'io^ 
""d  the  prejudices  due    1  /I      /  '"^^  ^''°P"°n. 
««epunce,  except  on  the  fS" '*"'  "'"^^  ""='-■ 
°»  to  the  intervening    pad?    S^'°'  "^"^  -"d 
yrd,  between  the  differem'^7""'  "«"'"'  court- 
numerous  open  spaces  or  '1?°'*' *""''*■•  Thee 
■nteriors  of  hous^^^'p^/Jf;^  r"'"'^'  '"  "- 
'"«  place  of  outer  wiSf  to    ^"^^  ''°""==^'  "«''<> 
«  "-oi*  of  windows  will  or.  ^  ^^**'  «'ent,  as 

"PPer  stories  of  theS;,^^^  °».'°  «•«»  ^--'th: 
are  separated  by  them,?-  ""*'"  ''""dings,  which 
f»"eries.     The'g'rtT  ZTI  'T"'' ^"^  ^^ 
'he  ground  floor,  thouehth         ^*  "^"^"'"S  "  on 
'•'«  buildings  sJme  afc   'r.""'  "^  *"  ^"-"e  of 
^'orey.towhichaseepSst"'""  °"  "  --^""d 
Joors  on  the  upper  storey  Ire  tf^!'  "'"="•   ^he 
^»  ground  floor  generTil  ',  /  ^"^'  '    ^ut  on 

Parous  red  tiles  an  Lh.hL'lc'Tr'"""^''''  ^^-■-     ■ 
^"d  are  damp,  and  i„  po^r ',  IT.  ^""''^^  break, 
^re  not  much  better  thL.   "'^  "'''  bouses  thev 

'"-  about  the^lVteTr    f  °"-.    '''^"  -S 
s-ze^are  sometimes  seen. 


Ill 


.J, 

•i'  *i. 


im 


Ilk 


M 


Hi 


John  Chinaman  Indoors 

The  foundations  of  the  house  are  often  of 
granite,  the  walls  of  a  bluish-grey  brick,  and  the 
roof  very  generally  of  thin  red  pan  and  roll  tiles 
in  alternate  rows.  In  good  houses  a  second  layer 
of  tiles  is  laid  over  the  Brst,  and  even  a  third  is 
not  unknown. 

In  the  abodes  of  the  rich,  much  elegance  may 
be  seen.  Large  pen-and-ink  sketches,  usually  un- 
framed,  hang  as  a  centre-piece,  or  a  number  of 
them,  sometimes  framed,  if  smaller,  are  hung  round 
the  walls  ;  curios  are  seen  and  a  vase  or  two. 
Though  the  Chinese  do  not  attain  the  simplicity 
of  the  Japanese  in  the  adornment  of  their  apart- 
ments, yet  there  is  not  the  overloading  of  a  room 
with  bric-k-brac,  of  which  there  is  often  too  much 
in  the  West. 

There  may  be  elegance  i"  t  there  is  a  lack  of 
comfort  in  the  large  barn-like  halls  which  serve 
for  reception-rooms.  There  are  large  halls,  but 
often  stuffy  little  rooms  partitioned  off  for  bed- 
rooms :  spaciousness  in  one  part,  confinement  m 
the  other.  There  are  no  ceilings,  or  but  seldom, 
though  the  roof-beams  in  a  good  house  will  bo 
painted,  and  the  inside  surface  of  the  roof-tiling 
whitewashed.  There  is  a  scarcity  of  floor  coverings 
in  the  way  of  carpets  or  rugs.  There  are  no  fire- 
places or  stoves  •;  so  the  inmates  go  shivering  about 
on  their  carpetless  tiled  floors  with  doors  open  on 
to  the  open  courtyard.  Clothes  are  piled  on,  to 
keep  out  the  cold  in  winter  ;  so  that  the  thin  miin 
becomes  apparently  stout,  and  the  little  baby  is 
304 


I  i 


Furniture 


aimost  as  broad  a.  i 

he  heat  thus  conserved  last'    f^''  '"  ""^'»'  -"^ 
I'  folJows  a,  a  matter  of  coTr  ^°;^^^"«'  hours. 

™°«  are  yearly  appearW        ""^^  ''*=  ^<'=".  and 
factories  necessitated'by  "he";;'-  '."=  "-  manu- 

^^h:tS;d^^-'-?r°'"-- 

°'-nbefou„°drmtu?st^f°"^   ""^   '--e   wi„ 
accessions   to   the   ra^^^^nd'  "*""  '°™  P-« 
»um>ture.     There  may  !L  h,  "'"""'"^   Chinese 
'oo'sof  Chinese  ebony  with  r^   I?''  ^'J""^-  high 
oPPed   tables   are   scatt! !.  *= '°P^-  Garble 

L"ge  hard  couches  ne"!  '"  *'^"^"'  ™oms 
^'^^n  at  the  top  of  the  '^^  ^'  ^'°^<i  as  long  Trc 
^■""ker,  with  alMhe    ™°™'  '^^^  ^°-  'he  opiu^ 

oT  the'°".f  ''^''-  -rs^:^  ^-'^s 

°n  the  walls,  if  pi^tu^es  dn  '"=",ptions  han- 
'^^  ^Pace.  Sometimes  b"""'  ^''"'^''^  ^^'^'^  "p 
SJa^^3---a^rS- 

r^^^^-h-^-tr^"- 

.„   '•    ^niamental  Ianf».^    •  ^  °P<=n  on 

°^  ^'"^  gauze  hang  abo«  t.'  '"  ^^^''  ^^  ebony 
a  comfortable  soV  i°  th7  ^  '''  '^"^^^e^,  not 
»/  rambling  rooms,  and  oSe   "'^°"   «^'«hlishmen 

Xarm.ha.^^^,^„„,^;^.s^^dn. 


Ill 


.III 


i 


John  Chinaman  Indoors 

comfori  is  sometimes  found  in  a  leather  folding- 
chair like  our  ship-chairs.  The  poet  Cowper's 
description  of  the  furniture  of  our  forefathers 
might  be  written  to-day  of  these  articles  of  Chinese 
furniture  :  - 

"Restless  was  the  chair;  the  back  erect 
Distressed  the  weary  loins,  that  felt  no  ease." 

And  his  description  of  one  of  the  kinds  of  stools 
we  have  already  mentioned  is  also  apt  :— 

"On  tliree  legs 
Upborne  they  stood.    Three  legs  upholding  firm 
A  massy  stone." 

According  to  our  ideas,  Chinese  houses  are  but 
scantily  furnished.  Down  both  sides  of  a  recep- 
tion-room, to  flank  the  opium  couch  or  bed  at  the 
top,  will  be  seen  two  rows  of  chairs  of  Chmese 
black  ebony,  with  a  high  stool-like  table  in  two 
storeys  between  each  second  chair  and  the  first 
of  the  next  couple.  These  little  tables  arc 
conveniently  at  hand  to  put  cups  of  tea  on 
or    the    hookah-like    pipe    in    the    intervals    of 

smoking. 

Few  have  had  the  privilege  of  living  in  a.  purely 
native  house  and  being  in  the  native  household 
as  one  of  the  inmates  ;  for  East  is  East  and  West 
is  West,  and,  leaving  all  matters  of  food  and  sanita- 
tion out  of  the  question,  the  greatest  forbearance  is 
needed  on  both  sides  not  to  tread  on  each  other's 


Business  Life 


marlc  after  S"  .ordX^"Vr"'<'  P-"  a  ques.i„„ 
;.W  really  wished  to"  t '7'^\  .'"'°--  ""'"« 
W«  of  a  CWnese  home  and '"^''  '"'°  ">«=  '""" 
fo'go  comfort.  Thfal ^  T^  P''"=Pa™d  to 
Ci'inese  life  i,,  i,,:Z  ".tlv  ""'"'"^  '"'° 
«"ch  of  .heir  life  is  spe^f 7„  ^^  ""*««^y.  "  «» 
«en  out  of  doors,  that  hi,  i*-  °'^"'  and  is 

»'ho  has  studied  the  Chine,  .k"'  ''"^*=""  '°'  one 
'he  small  remaining  ^Jf^^'^'^^-fWy  'o  picture 
fron.  what  one  kno^  "°7/  "''"'  ''^'^  """-evealed 

-e  hears  „f  the  h°^'en  'fe  """t  "^'''='""'  '^^ 
'"  a  Chinese  house    T  ^°  'alee  lodgings 

and  America,  is  imp^ssLr  """""  ""^  «  Eu'roje 
■le  inadvisable,  frTthe  Eu'r' '"  '''  ""'^  """W 
the  reasons  given  ab^ve  '^  "andpoint,  for 

The  tradesman,  except  in  ,h„ 
cumstances,   and   as   a  Lu        """^  "'^"'^^  cir- 
or  above  or  behind  his  s^'     %?    "">"'   "ves    i„ 
■n  China  is  only  a  shopkeSr  "'""'«">''  *ho 

^«ie,  very  possibly  dST^!  °"  *  '"«"-  grander 
h'^  European  con/rirel,  tu  "^"^  "  ''°''  «''«^ 
°f  the  day  at  buLei'n^'^'^^  ""=  ""'  Pa« 
have  shares  in  half  a  do' en  Th^"'  '''"  "'"^n 
separate  businesses       To  k!  '""'  ""^  ""ore, 

vision  of  all  these  is  im^    I?  *  Personal  super- 
^"--^  on  them ":  ^i  iTtIn  a' r  '°  '"'"'  ^^^ 

=--usma.mca-£X---^u. 
307 


1  .i 


I 


^sgmwsssn«gm?mmi^ 


msm^^^ 


John  Chinaman  Indoors 

of  the  firm,  to  attempt  to  deny  all  responsibilities 
connected  with  the  insolvent  business,  and  the  fact 
that  a  Chinaman  can  use  several  names  to  represent 
himself  aids  him  in  his  nefarious  designs.  On  the 
whole,  however,  the  Chinese  are  honest  business 
men. 

The  mandarin's  office,  barracks,  court-house, 
gaol,  and  residence  are  all  in  the  same  congeries  of 
buildings :  so  he  is  always  at  home,  and  his  work 
is  never  done,  in  the  case  of  high  and  responsible 
officials.  He  is  nev^r  out  of  harness,  except  for 
the  nominal  period  of  three  years  (really  twenty- 
seven  months)  of  mourning  for  his  parents. 
During  this  period  he  should  have  no  additions 
to  his  family.  This  is  the  only  time  when  the 
ceremonial  etiquette  of  Chinese  family  life  sanc- 
tions the  restriction  of  the  birth-rate.  At  other 
times  John  Chinaman's  idea  is  that  the  more  sons 
the  better,  and  unfortunately  the  fewer  daughters 
still  the  better. 

There  is  no  counterpart  to  the  Londoner's  and 
the  English  city  dweller's  exodus  to  the  suburbs 
in  the  evening  and  into  the  city  in  the  day.  The 
country  has  not  yet  been  discovered  in  China, 
much  less  the  seaside.  The  Chinaman's  country 
is  his  ancestral  home,  though  it  may  not  be  the 
country  for  which  our  Western  wishes  long,  our 
minds  dream  of,  and  our  eyes  behold  with  visions 
of  future  delight,  when  in  the  dusty  noisy  city- 
streets.  In  the  ancestral  hall  are  John  Chinaman's 
tablets  of  his  ancestors  for  several  generations  back 
308 


.^ 


The  Chief  Concern 


«t  the  very  leag.     ^ 

he  retuna  wh-„',i,  '«>t -place  of  hi.  rl»n 

^«'P  which  the  aacesL^  „,/  '^^"5'  ''«  ^''^k"  the 
^*"»-    Religion.  sS  "         ''  '"""^  ""'  ^'f°'d 
"e  all  to   be  found  S' 'T°"' '^  "«"=«^y. 
family  reside  here  while  ^i   T"^  °^'"   *«=  and 
«  some  great  martlJl  ^^  t''  "''''"l-'^ner  is 
seekmg  to  amass   the  forr  "^"^  °' '"«"  abroad 
John  Chinaman  knows  s^  ^  h"'""'  ^^  »  ""«' 
h«  frugal  habits,  patience  Zi  *"  ''^"J"''*  by 

busmess  in„mcts.    tRiI^JIT^-^'  and  keen 
«mmer  ,0  the  co«fort    '    i  '^  «»'«,  to 

for  theoretically  and  ^  '"*   Parents -in -law  ■ 

.  -«  a«  the  ckrcoS'^>,*«  °^'  ^°*'  « 
t'ves,  according  to  the  rv '  ^''^  '""^  "ot  rela- 
'»  the  innerZt  cirde  ofT'  ''^"'  ""'  "^'ong 
•"ore  intimate  than  L  „,  ""^  ^lationshipsf 
family.  "^    the    outer,    ever-expandi^ ' 

Once  or  twice 
™an  goes  home  to  seTthem  "T""'''  ^""^  "^hina- 
that  he  incidentally  sees  m"  I  "  '°  ''^  supposed 
«  »°t  the  object  oJhrviS  Im  "  "^"■-  ""t  that 
«f  avowed  reason  for  ^  in'''' ''''' "^'^f^'b'e 
ttnes,  if  distance  and  li  ^."""^y-  At  other 
""y  "SO  back  to  the  cofi"^.  ''°  "ot  forbid,  ^ 
occasion   that   r,Vh^    country,"  as  he  calls  it      4 

Jtnandhis'^returfS^^T^^^;  T"'  ^^-^-^ 
P-=  mes  for  his  pa"  „ts  "'  '"  ^''°^  the  last 

"  would,  however  >J- 
P^^ent  at  his  wife'sV^erar^'"  """^"^^ary  to  be 
•«e«i  ,   nor  mdeed,  for  that 


John  Chinaman  Indoon 


matter,  is  it  necessary,  in  some  parts  of  the  country, 
for  him  to  be  present  at  his  own  wedding.  He 
may  be  too  busy,  and  not  be  able  to  get  away 
to  put  in  an  appeajance,  or  it  is  possible  he  may 
be  at  I  he  other  side  of  the  world;  but  his  mother 
can  arrange  everything  for  him.  No  courting, 
of  cuurse,  is  necessary;  and  n  barnyard  fowl  will 
act  as  his  locum  tenens  at  the  marriage  feast 
and  ceremonies.  This  is  one  of  the  things  that, 
to  say  the  least  of  it,  ,make  it  rather  awkward  for 
an  English  or  foreign  girl  to  marry  a  Chinaman, 
as  on  going  home  to  China  she  may  find  a  Chinese 
girl  already  installed  as  chief  wife  by  the  old 
mother,  and,  unless  the  stranger  from  over  the 
waters  is  willing  to  take  her  place  as  second  wife, 
and  be  the  slave  of  the  mother-in-law  and  the 
drudge  of  the  real  wife,  ructions  are  the  result. 
Thus,  once  installed,  the  legitimate,  legal  wife  can- 
not be  ousted  from  her  position  for  an  outsider, 
who  would  have  no  status  in  Chinese  family  Hie, 
but  that  of  a  secondary  wife,  or  sccalU^ 
concubine. 

It  is  a  thousand  pities  that  this  phase  of  Chinese 
marital  life  is  not  widely  known  'in  Europe  and 
Americai  and  our  colonies.  A  Chinaman  comes 
abroad,  and  is  made  much  of.  He  is  perhaps 
a  nice  fellow,  is  making  his  way  in  the  world,  and 
is  kind  and  attentive  to  the  English  or  Australian 
girl  he  is  courting.  She  is  infatuated,  and  marries 
him,  knowing  nothing  of  Chinese  social  hfe  and 
customs,  and  not  believing  what  she  is  told,  should 
310 


A  Warning 


■°y   one.    kaowing   wh«f    ,u 
^and  as  he  may  have  b«!'  r'""*.""*!  good  hus- 

■fnese  cases  aro 
^  come  across  ^^^  t;"™-;     The  author 

-e<^.  as  ;^',X  to'"-'  °--sXt 
»°  »o„s,  wish  to  reuiror'"*^  **'  «"'  wife  hi, 
worship  and  the  a  hoHar  i''"'  '•"  -><=«'" 
and  tncks  resorted  to  eit^,,?  '™°*»  "traugem, 
^^om  its  mother,  or  to  t^  -  ^"  '*''  <=''"d  S 
«tempt  to  leave'the  ih  PJ'h  1'°"^''  *«  ""o'^r 
tbe  mother's  feelings   "1"^"'^''  household.    Mjhat 

^ne   Chinese   official 

»  difficult  thing-,  as  tbj°„^"  ^'^"°«  labours. 
-'Jlness.  senility,  or  dismis  '  jT"^''  '"  «tiremen 

J-  this  laying  down  of  the  ro  J    ',  "^^   ^ong 
'^-P'«P-fi„chint'£it-^'i>erf 


'  f 


John  Chinsunan  Indoors 

the    foremost    poets    of   China   verses    the    wish 
thus  :— 

"Would  I  could 
Hie  me  from  my  ofEce  cares. 

By  the  brooklet  then  I'd  lie, 
Catch  the  finny  tribes  with  snares ; 

In  my  cottage  in  the  wood, 
Read  my  books  and  dream  and  think, 

Love  o'er  all  the  past  to  brood 
And  the  present  with  it  link, " 

The  gentleman  at  large,  if  a  literary  man,  finds 
enjoyment  in  his  library.  The  author  has  a 
pleasant  memory  of  visiting  a  wealthy  merchant 
of  literary  and  scientific  tastes  in  his  country  house, 
who,  amidst  edifying  conversation,  regaled  him 
and  his  friend  with  slight  refreshment,  the  leading 
feature  in  which  has  fixed  itself  on  the  writer's 
memory  as  a  pot  of  English  jam,  which  was 
expected  to  be  taken  from  the  jar  by  the  aid  of 
a  foreign  fork. 

Meals  are  the  most  important  part  of  the  day 
to  a  Chinaman.  The  wise  will  not  in  a  moment 
of  urgent  haste  for  the  performance  of  some  im- 
portant matter,  call  on  a  Chinaman,  even  though 
he  be  his  servant,  to  forgo  the  pleasures  of  the 
table,  even  for  a  brief  season.  The  two  set  meals 
in  the  day  occupy  some  of  a  man's  time,  to  which 
are  added  an  informal  lunch,  and  other  pickings 
pass  some  of  the  hours.  His  lark,  also,  requires 
a  gentleman's  care,  to  give  it  some  fresh  air,  though 
he  may  not  feel  the  need  of  any  himself.  This 
3" 


Social  Duties 


•»»y  come  in  ,he  dayT  wo'k  ^"ih "'""';  '''''" 
'he  responsibility  of  the  "iLtl.  i""  ''''°  ^'*^« 
hands  n,       i„  teVpl  t  S'ahS""^'  °"  '"=*' 

''•i^oTL";iet7b%V^'  ^".^"'^  °' 

public  bodies  toT,r,r  "''"'  """  '"'"P  our 
before  them  Yet  ^0^"^"°"-:°  ""=  ""''"«» 
for  the  rapid  h-ansTctt^  ^\"^'''  """  ^"'"od 
»  done,  and  wS  don?^  °^  ''"''""''  ">«  work 
leisurely'  chatting!  he  drinS'e  "r"""''^"'""^  *"« 
of  tea,  smolci„Jo7endt"°  """"""= '^"P' 
of  hundreds  of  me  on  Sh  PT'.  ""'^  ^P''«'"» 
large  family  of  S  .nH    k-,/°°'""^  ''''"  h" 

the  attention  of  rman  "?,  "-  "'"  ''"^™'"=' 

hour.  """  °^  '='=•"■<=  during  many  an 

.en^emen"''  The't"  r  ""=  "''""  °'  '"^  •>-«  "^ 
'ady  visitors  and  hefr  .M?h"'"'=""  ""'>'  ^<=ceivc 
only  received  in  M,!         children;    gentlemen  are 

and'his  son  '  The  „::  "bfT "^"'^  "^  '""^  "-' 
seeds,  and  somet^eTsweeV&c '''"''"' "'='''" 
A  most  ceremonial  reccpSn  'n/7  '''°'"'''''- 
precede  and  follow  ,™'''=P"°"  and  leave-taking 
rank  and  position  If  j!  "'^"'°"'°"s  call.  Thf 
the  honour  thaTs  to  h  ^^"l  ^°™  '^^  &"'de  to 
distance  the  host  hi,  .  '"''°'^'^  '°  h™'  and  the 
chair.  ''  ''^'  '°  «=="«  him  to  his  sedan! 

Dinners    are    not    given    at    »,«,„       u 
restaurant  in  the  town  Td    nf  '    ''"'    "    * 

of  respectability  are  ^sSt  '°"'"'"'  "°  ^^'^''^ 

313 


MOOCOPT    ■HOUniOM   TBT  OMIT 

(/kNSI  ond  ISO  TEST  CKART  No.  2) 


1.0  ;^! 


I.I 


11^  1^ 


I" 


12.2 


12.0 


1.6 


APPLIED  IM43E    Inc 

t653  Eo»l  Moin  SttMt 

Roch.«t«f.  Htk  Yort.       1*609       US* 

(716)  *fl2  -  OJOO  -  Phon. 

CT!6)  286  -  5989  -  Fa» 


John  Chinaman  Indoors 

Clfess  is  thought  to  be  a  game  for  S  scholar, 
nor  is  it  confined  to  that  diss,  as  the  street  chair- 
coolies  ma:/  be  seen  playing  while  waiting  for 
hire.  Other  games  are  also  played.  One  of  the 
most  common  amongst  the  latter  class  is  nine  men's 
morris. 

The  Chinese  man  of  fortune  is  fortunate  if 
gambling  has  not  cast  its  glamour  and  infatuation 
over  him,  as  his  ample  means,  if  not  entirely  dissi- 
pated by  it  are  bound  to  suffer  large  encroach- 
ments on  them.  Nearly  all  Chinese  gamble  more 
or  less.  Better  still  if  the  opium-pipe  does  not 
claim  him  as  its  slave,  as  the  chains  once  fastened 
on  him  are  well-nigh  ifnpossible  to  burst,  and  the 
vice  soon  masters  him,  demanding,  as  the  habit 
grows,  more  time  to  be  devoted  to  it,  and  ruining 
his  whole  life,  filching  money  from  his  purse,  and 
when  that  is  emptied,  gradually  taking  his  pro- 
perty. When  that  is  exhausted,  wife  and  child 
sometimes  go,  to  find  the  means  to  satisfy  the 
craving  for  the  drug.  At  last  the  man  is  left  an 
"  opium  ghost,"  as  the  Chinese  expressively  term 
it,  for  he  is  but  a  ghost  of  what  ha  was,  an 
emaciated  and  walking  skeleton  on  the  brink  of 
a  dishonoured  grave,  ready  with  gaping  mouth 
to  engulf  him.  Happy,  if  timely  wise,  he  resolutely 
shuns  the  foe  at  its  first  advances. 

.The  women  in  the  house  employ  themselves  with 

embroidery,  making  their  small  shoes,  smoking, 

cracking  melon  seeds,  looking  after  their  children 

and  the  ordering  of  the  household.     If  rich,  the 

314 


^^. 


!     l 


'•    A   GAMBLING    HOtSE. 


2.    THE   CHINESE 


I 


i<i 


I  II 


i 


Woman's  Place 


negrotiations  for  Z  P*"  .  °f  their  time.  The 
in  which  the  Sthe^t  r"J^^f  °^  '^'"  ^'^"<1«". 
engrossing  ml?^r  t' ■''  ""  =""«'  *=  ^^°'^" 
cards  wh.!e  away  3oSe  ;?L''L''"^'°'"'"°^^  -^ 
acquaintance  are  not/  °""'  ^""^  ^''"=  '« 

closed  se?^.chairr,f"""'  ^^™'  ^'>"'  "P  *" 

attended     by    a     womL""  '''""^^  '''"'  ='-«^' 
Quarrels  are  nn^     «^oman-servant    or    slave-girl. 

wives  ''°'  ""'^°'^°"  '^''^«e„  the  diffefe„; 

able  to  frequem 'tht  th  Itre  Thr'n'r?/"''^"- 
be  miserable  to  our  wllf'  /  "I  '*  ''^^  ^°"'<> 
so  many  interests  not?  ■'^"f^'"''  ^°'"^°'  '^"h 
must,  howler  ,;mlh''  1°'*°°""'  ''"'  °"'-  '^e 
with  no  w^e  omwl  u"'  ''^'^  ""^"'^  W^, 

has  been  bfo'ught  upt'U  I  't'  ^'"'"^^^  '^^>^ 
Notwithstanding  aU  her  d^  'h  ^"°^  "°  °''^«- 
Chinese    woman    J   caoabf^  "^T"'   '^^"^  ^ 

fitted  to  rule  her  hLSd  \uT  mu^:^:'  •  ""^  ^^^" 
nevertheless,  for  her  to  att^;.  f  '  '^*"""^' 
cases,  to  the  -itiL  f  T'  '"  ""=  "'^'°"'y  °f 
home-life  of  t..  .S  ^'rh  °""  °''''^'  '"  *« 
are  begimiing  iotXe.  "Jo^T?.;!''^  ''"^'^ 
for  the  West  to  give  of  it,  1  .  .  1  "PP°rt"nity 
impart  to  them  fhl  ,  ^"  '°  ^''^  ^ast,  and 
tia^ity.  '^'  "^"'^'"^  «fl"ences  of  Chris- 


3IS 


CHAPTER   XXIV 

John  Chinaman  at  Work 

JOHN  CHINAMAN. is  a  hard  worker-one  of 
the  hardest,  all  things  being  taken  into  con- 
sideration, on  the  face  of  the  earth.   An  early 
riser,  he  toils  on  through  all  the  long  hours  of  a 
weary  summer's  day  without  a  Spanish  siesta  or 
an  Englishman's  midday  dinner-hour. 

Climatic  conditions  and  no  weekly  day  of  rest 
deny  him  the  intense  energy,  displayed  amongst 
some  of  the  world's  labourers,  and  oftener  to  be 
found  in  the  temperate  and  rest-givmg  West ;  but 
take  the  Chinese  boatman  when  in  full  toil,  and 
the  burden-bearing  cooUes  in  Canton,  and  the 
incessant  hard  labour  and  the  str  ngth  displayed 
are  commensurate  with  any  efforts  of  the  ,West. 

Unbraced  by  a  continuous  cool  climate,  as 
prevails  to  a  great  extent  in  most  European 
countries,  John  Chinaman's  physique  is  doubtless 
lower  than  that  of  many  a  stout  Englishman  or 
brawny  Scot.  But  see  a  couple  of  chair-coolies, 
slight  in  build  and  short  in  stature,  lift  up  a  sedan- 
316 


A  Patient  Toller 


'ho  eighties,  and  ttat  „  ""°""""  '"  "P  *" 
"e^rees,  fa  'the  shaTeTsee'  alMh'T"''  "'"«^ 
^»    atmosphere    surcharged    w  th  °""  ""■''^' 

your  respect  for  the  enrfnr  ^  "O'sture,  and 
g-'es  up  a  considerable  „:2:  °Vf "  ^''■"^'"«" 
author  has  had  four  men?,  t  '^'^'^"-  ^he 
very  heavy  chair  uj  a^t"nT\^™,  """P'^'y  ^  '^ 
feet  with  only  one  nr  T^  ^^'^^'  °^  ^''°"t  r,8oo 
shortly  afterward  "a  rT  ?' V^'  -'^  '^ 
distance  on  the  same  ™h         •'^•"^"    *''«    ^^'"e 

found  on  God-Tear  h  liTr,"'  "''"'''  '""^^  *"  be 
unless  under  the  weigh"  ofa  "°' '""^ ''""=«'^' 
burden.  The  hustle  ofthe  Fa.  T"  -^"^  ^'^^ 
known  in  the  Far  East     T  "*  '"  """  ««'e 

little  importance  to  him  •  Tt  "  °^  comparatively 
of  the  contract  •  time  II  "°'  °^  '^^  «=ence 

It  is  mc  3  the  disTanct^  ""  ''""  '°  ^'  '"""ey. 
taken  to  do  it  tha  f^^s  theT"'  ''""  '''^  *™' 
by  the  chair-coolie  or  Lrl\.''"  °^  "'''  ''^'"^"d 
than  his  legal  fare         ^'""'^'^^''^-'^""lie  for  more 

anyrrX^rt  ^e"srarh°^  ■'"  '"^  =-^' 

Chinese  carpenter  or  brikla'r  se."'  "  "  '''^*  ^"e 

the  full  value  of  time  for  th^™'  *°  appreciate 

time  for  the  accumulation  of  an 


f 
'  *    'if 

'I  m 

- '  m 

m 


John  Chinaman  at  Work 

uneained  increment  of  wages  unjustly  Scquired. 
Strict  commercial  honesty  is  as  common  in  China 
in  the  mercantile  firm  as  the  Englishman  will 
find  it  in  the  centres  of  his  own  commerce,  if  it  is 
not  better  understood  and  carried  out  ;  but  the 
workman's  application  of  it  to  wage-earn.'ng  is 
a  different  story. 

Some  of  the  long  hours  of  Chinese  toil  are  more 
apparent  than  real ;  for  the  busy  hammer  and 
anvil  of  the  blacksmith  are  heard  at  ten  o'clock 
at  night,  and  the  explanation  of  this  is,  that  there 
are  different  relays  of  men  employed. 

Patient  toil,  in  which  time  appears  to  be  of 
little  consequence,  and  with  tools  which  a  iVestem 
workman  would  think  it  impossible  to  do  anything 
decent  with,  are  the  normal  conditions  of  Chinese 
labour.  There  is  a  want  of  finish  in  much  of  the 
work  produced  by  the  Chinaman's  primitive  tools, 
but  it  is  a  wonder  that,  with  such  rude  contrivances 
as  some  of  them  are,  he  is  able  to  do  what  he  does 
so  well.  On  the  other  hand,  some  of  the  work  that 
goes  from  his  hands  is  exquisite.  The  carving  is 
fine,  as  shown  especially  in  the  wood-carving  of 
curios,  black -wood  furniture,  panels,  and  the  open- 
work of  the  upper  part  of  the  French  doors  that 
he  delights  to  put  in  h--  buildings,  taking  the 
place  of  the  otherwise  plain  partitions.  The 
carving  of  ivory  chess-men,  card-cases,  &'c.,  of 
marble  cups,  of  stone  into  snuff -bottles  ai  1  curios, 
is  all  worthy  of  note. 

As  an  instance  of  patience,  there  is  in  Chinese 
318 


Tools 

Chinaman  never  sZ,        "J'"'  ""P^^^-     "^ 

■'He  feels  no  scruple  L  ^o  1  T  '^'"'  ^'"• 
dishonourable  character  of  ,k  honourable  or 
casts  an   eye  toward  ,K        '^^    occupation,    but 

-ous,ya;;ir^:Se,?:oThf;ir^"'"^^'-''' 
thote'^rusit?Hrwr^r  ^"^  r-- '- 

are  used  by  the  ca;Dit;r  I  ^"'^  '-hetstones 

occupier  o/bis  ^c^Z^^S-t^r^;  'r  if  Z""^"": 
scissors  or  a  razor  is  t«  v^    l^  '  "  ^  P'"''  °( 

.round  With  aZdstte'^brsS  tZ  '''  "°' 
tool  simihr  to  a  spoke-shavr  T  .^  ^  """"'"S 
or  steel  work  is  pSc  5  L  a  '  ''J"''  °'  '™" 

The  brass  padlock's  at  cu.ol^bSs  "  r  ?T'.- 
are  rough-lookir.g  obj,.cts      A  ^i         J     '^'"'^'' 
stick  for  a  handle    n      V.;         .'^^^  "'^^  ^  s'"*!! 
for  it  at  the  S  part'of  r/K  ^  '"''^  '"^^P-^'' 
thus  requiring  the  use  of  both^  ^°'  ''''  P'^"«' 
has  its  blade  lenerJlyj[^°'^  ^^'^'^     '^^^  ^^^ 
the  latter  beC  ^  rami       C  ^"^'' '° ''''=  ha.idle, 
blade,  which  is  at  onr^r*",  •  ^"'"'"^  ^"h   the 
A  -rpenter-s   brlce   and   bi    "'  '  P"^"^'°.ran:. 
curious;  the  former  is  a  3t  ck  ::i:h  7?'°"   ^^ 
bar  at  one   end  for  a   handle    I   ,  J^°"  "°==- 
attached  to  it  at  both  tr,T      1         °^^^  "rd   is 
'his   is   twistid   ro2   tht'bhljM    ^'^I.P"'  °^ 
thus  be  caused  to  rotate  ranidll  .I   ^^'"^  "^^ 

'-^-raceandtheothtjKt^r.^-^;^ 


1 


=!rri 


John  Chinaman  at  Work 

and  exerting  the   requisite  amount   of   pressure 
required. 

The  Chinese  scaffold-builders  (quite  a  craft  in 
itself)  are  very  clever  and  ingenious.  In  a  land 
where  at  certain  season.'  of  the  year  the  rain 
descends  in  torrents,  precautions  are  necessary  to 
-iiield  and  protect  a  building  while  in  course  of 
construction  and  repair.  Not  only  is  a  framework 
of  bamboo  poles  elected  round  it ;  but  this  is 
carried  over  the  roof^  and  covered  with  large 
oblongs  of  bamboo-leaves  fastened  together.  No 
nails  are  used  in  these  structures,  which  are  tied 
together  securely  and  firmly  by  long  thongs  of  split 
rattan.  Under  this  shelter  workmen  are  secure 
from  sun  and  showers.  When  the  work  is  over 
the  builders  appear  again,  and,  removing  the 
coverings  first,  they  take  down  the  framework, 
using  for  this  purpose  short  knives  to  cut  through 
the  rattan. 

Nor  are  these  mat-shedu  only  used  for  a  protec- 
tion for  buildings  at  certain  times  ;  but  they  are 
put  up,  to  house  th'  workmen  required  on  any 
particular  job,  as  the  building  of  a  house,  extensive 
repairs,  or  excavations  of  earthwork,  construction 
of  roads,  th,  building  of  tombs,  &c.,  and  still 
further,  many  Chinese  use  them  as  permanent 
residences.  Europeans,  indeed,  occasionally  find 
thera  convenient  for  that  purpose,  as  they  can 
be  fitted  with  wooden  doors  and  windows,  &c., 
and  they  are  most  useful  also  when  required  for  a 
short  time,  taking  the  place  of  tents  and  marquees. 
320 


Building  Opftrations 


.heatrel    '  '''^"'  "''''  "^  "•«  Chinese  for 

.o^rtfofTCe^''"^ "''"'" '°  --<» 

Chinese  appe^  lo^V°  "^'T  "P^'"'  "«' 
ladder  of  baX^p^  «"  ^^tt  H  '^'""""'^ 
scaffold-builders  are  in  Lnf/  '"'""'•  ^^^ 
useful  th.irwork  i"  f  *"*  '^"'"""'''  *«^  "no^' 
Temporar;or:Se,  are  mart"   ''"'    '"''^'="- 

=dp.^i~?;«--- 

ont  S'^i^'r^Lr':^'-  ^^^  -"'^^^ 

only  being  introduced  ofTafe  ii  "i,  Ss^'s^'""   " 

a  fo„  ^        J^mp.-e.     In  tht  south   wher^ 

a  few  are  seen,  they  serve  as  crrriers  „flT. 
mandarins,  who  ride  on  them    Ind  th  "^ 

of  great  civil  officials  also  u  ^'themflr  th:"""'' 
purpose  The  only  animal  used  for  trtti''T' 
south  is  tae  water-buffalo,  whrcV°drar  ^  p^i^  ! 

331 


tr  I 


John  Chinaman  at  Work 

live  plough  through  the  Chinaman's  fields,  and 
also  turns  the  oil-mill.  Sec.  Man  is  the  pack-horse, 
man  is  the  carrier  of  burdens  of  every  kind  and 
of  ever;  material.  Man  burdens  himself  with  his 
fellow-man  in  a  more  literal  sense  than  with  us. 
iWith  oar,  track-line,  and  pole,  man  has  moved 
millions  of  boats  and  vessels  for  thousands  of 
years,  in  a  land  where  boats  are  used  for  every 
conceivable  object,  thankful  when  favourable  wind 
and  tide  give  him  respite  from  active  toil,  and  all 
that  is  necessary  is  a  hand  on  the  tiller  and  the 
sheets  of  the  wide-spread  sail.  Man  with  an 
endless  pump  raises  water  by  using  his  feet  on 
treadmill -like  steps  rotating  floats  within  a 
trough  and  so  dragging  up  the  water  from 
the  river  to  irrigate  his  rice-fields.  And  in 
his  boats  which  carry  fish  to  tb-!  market, 
his  feet  acting  on  the  same  [..inc  .Jie,  bring 
in  a  supply  of  fresh  water  to  .he  fish  in  the 
tanks. 

Applying  the  same  method  he  takes  the  place 
of  a  steam-eugine  in  some  of  the  passage-boats 
on  the  Canton  River,  which  proceed  rapidly  on 
their  voyages,  relays  of  men  working  the  stem- 
wheel  and  so  providing  the  motive  power  ;  the 
boats  might  be  fitly  desc  ibed  not  as  of  so  much 
hor<-e-power  but  of  so  many  men -power.  In  this 
connection  it  may  be  interesting  to  note  that 
jinricksha  means   man-pover   carriage. 

Most    ingenious    are    the    ivory-carvers,    who 
employ  a  number  of  small  chisels,  either  level  at 
333 


The  Right  to  Work 


'lie  object  in  his  left  l^nH  i^  ^^"^kman  hold, 
ivory  with  hi.  riih  ^1'  "'"^  '"»?"  "^''^  '"e 
'or  abridging  the  Tabour  f^hiTlL^'  ••  1"°  TT 
most  curious  Obiects   nr«„      " '!  *°'"*  °*  "«= 

centric  ivory  baJhonJ^^''^  "'•='"  «'«  ™n- 
all  carved/ ieJ''  Te  L?^  """"  ""'  °"'"  -^ 
done    by    to^u    h         '""«™°«    ones.     This    is 

holes    of    T  caZ^'^'T^'r  ''"°"^''    «•>« 

This   example   is   e3    °'    ^  ^    *^     '"'"- 

cure  and  trouble  CMn  ,''*°''  '   -'   '"fin"e 

work.  '  '^'''"""'  *o'-J"nen  take  in  their 

Nearly  every  C;jnaman   believes   in   ft..     •  u 
to  work,  and  the  maiorif^  e  J    I  '"^    "S^^ 

do.  though  it  mr^b"  '^  f""*  ""=  "«'>'  ^ork  to 
Nmnerouf  as  arrtL  °"    ""^munerative. 

in  China,  the  e  a7e  none  ofTe"  '"  f  ''~'=''^'°" 
ti>eir  iugubrious  straT  of  tw^^rir '' "^^^ 
'o  do";  that  is  left  ,^\u  u  *^°'  °°  ^°* 
they   work    d  uLS    I^d        '''^«"^'  '^d  even 

employment  of  St^nf  .^'Thf '  h'  '''" 
VICIOUS  take  up  the  work  of  vL  'nherently 

Piracy  to  whi^h 'oft^ tt^'o^f  ::;:^  '^^7^' 
been  driv^  by  floods  or  famfnes  "'  ^"''^ 

•3,ooSoo^;"rs::r"iT"'  ''^i  ^  ="^'-<^ 


John  Chinaman  at  Work 

position  ;  but  that  there  are  vast  multitudes  of 
them  in  such  a  condition  there  cannot  be  a  shadow 
of  doubt,  and  yet,  except  when  a  flood  or  famine 
upsets  the  ordinary  state  of  affairs,  they  manage 
to  keep  soul  and  body  together  and  continue  the 
race. 

The  solidarity  of  labour  is  evinced  by  the 
ubiquitous  guild,  which  not  only  gathers  all  the 
otherwise  scattered  members  of  one  handicraft 
under  its  aegis,  but  bristles  with  enmity  against 
all  who  try  to  impugn  its  authority  and  crushes 
them  by  its  power.  .A  system  of  apprenticeship 
is  in  existence,  during  the  years  of  which  the  lad 
becomes  proficient  in  his  calling.  The  guilds  are 
financed  by  the  subscripticas  of  the  craftsmen, 
fines,  &c.  They  subscribe  liberally  to  charitable 
purposes. 

Theoretically  to  work  with  the  hands  is  the 
most  honourable  of  all  callings  in  China,  next  to 
that  which  claims  the  pre-eminence— that  of 
working  with  the  brain,  viz.,  the  scholar.  After 
the  literati  come  the  agriculturists,  and  this 
means  the  man  who  has  a  small  holding.  In 
China  one  does  aot  see  farms  hundreds  of  acres 
in  extent.  A  C:unese  acre,  a  mow,  is  less  than 
the  sixth  of  an  L'nglish  one. 

A  farmer  is  really  a  market-gardener,  though 
he  grows  rice  and  other  crops.  His  fields  are 
neat  and  beautiful,  with  the  regular  and  clean 
rows  of  vegetables— not  a  weed  is  to  be  seen. 
Morning  and  night,  with  his  two  large  buckets 
3H 


Small  Culture 


cut  across  the  long  bamh^  !  k°  ™"''  ""'^  *  ««' 
^each  bucket,  and  !  ^^u"^"^.  '^"'^'^  ^ses  from 
from  them.     He  is  bZt  'T    '  "'l''^'  'P"««  »« 
°f  liquid  night-soi    diluted     %""*  ^'"  ''"=k«» 
'adles  out  on  the  '  oi  J'*  ""T'  '^'^'^h  ^e 
J-ve  no  olfactory  ^n^^^  ^ X''   ""^  •'''''"'^  *° 
nauseous  task.    The  earl!^«  w    ^'^ /^'""^  on  his 
^^k  :    but  soon  Ste^  Se  n^""  ''"*'  '^^  «  '^^ 
evening  the  fields  ^e  deseln    '^  °''^'^^  «  *he 
home  to  hi,  hovewL  XI      ^'°  ''^  '^«='  ^im 
or  village,  for  lonelv  fa,m1?  '"  '^^  ""^  ^^let 

-  .ere  over  ^^^J::::^:^^::^^^ 

an^Xir r''-;;^^^^^^^^  -bheri.  and 
smgle  house  would  be Twe  o  T"'  •","'^"°*»  ^ 
nver-travel  the  boats  are  1^  '^"*  °"  '''  In 
«t  a  village,  or  whe  e  seve«.  k"  "'«'''  '°  «°P 
till  daylight.  ^  '•""='*'  °*e"  have  put  up 

ti^"wr:frteni^^^^^^ 

-atery  bed.  Later  S  they  pr„;"«  '^^  ^heir 
hue.  The  most  untidy  fieldf  ^  ««-golden 
^weet  potatoes,  which  grot  t  «%  °''  °'  '"^ 
creepers  of  this  spread  ovlfhf"^^  '""•  ^he 
"oach  on  the  holCSetw:^*^  "'^'  ^'^  -- 
■ine   fanner's    tool*    a,. 

''^^   «03t   primitive;   his 


ill 


Il 


John  Chinaman  at  Work 

plough,  harrow,  and  mattocks  were  brought  with 
him  from  the  cradle  of  the  race,  and  evidently  have 
not  been  altered  since.  His  winnowing-machine, 
simple  in  construction,  has  been  copied  in  Europe, 
it  b  said.  The  mattock  is  used  largely  in  agri- 
cultural operations.  In  working  it  is  lifted  high 
above  the  head  and  brought  down  with  force,  and 
the  impetus  of  its  descent  sends  it  well  into  the 
soil.    The  spade  is  but  little  used. 

Thriftiness  under  the  hard  taskmaster  of  limited 
means  is  perhaps  carried  as  far,  if  not  farther, 
than  amongst  any  people.  The  endurance  of  the 
Chinese  coolie  is  great.  The  coal-coolies  coaling 
a  vessel  work  hard  and  carry  in  the  usual  Chinese 
manner  the  two  baskets  of  coal,  slung  to  a  pole,  up 
the  narrow  gang^way  planks  in  a  continual  stream 
and  empty  them  down  into  the  bunkers.  The 
earth-cooUes,  like  ants,  carry  the  excavated  earth 
in  continuous  lines,  one  with  full  baskets,  the  other 
with  empty  ones  returning  for  another  load.  Thus 
a  cutting  is  made  for  a  railway,  or  foundations 
for  buildings,  or  reclamation  work  is  carried  on. 
In  Hong  Kong  it  is  a  sight  to  see  the  traffic 
of  these  coolies  on  the  road.  There  are  about 
150  houses  in  the  Peak  district  of  the  colony  at 
heights  of  from  1,000  to  1,800  feet  above  the 
sea -level,  including  a  large  hotel  and  two  barracks. 
All  the  material  for  these  buildings,  whether  timber, 
brick,  or  tiles,  has  been  carried  by  men,  women, 
and  children  up  a  steep  road,  much  of  it  in  a 
hot,  broiling  sun.  The  stone  for  retaining  walls 
326 


ChMTfl,!  Tollers 


the  site  required.  ^''^  '^^'■"^d  by  men  to 

4'-^"jrirttr^i^-'^^- 

P«fed  to  the  two  ei^ds  of  t^"^  ="»^^  «"=- 
M>lo  with  the  calf,  as  thev '  ?°'"'   ^^'   ''ke 

burden   increases,    tiM    Z7  ^°^  '"  '*^«"g*  the 
^^ks  can  be  carried  at  ^7"  i''"^   ^"^   ^""y 

day  with  these  loads.  wWIe  r^"'  "'"'^^  ■"  'he 
a  sunple  walk  up  a,^d  ^7  '^""''^  'binfc  that 

^as  quite  tnough^t^T  ''''^°"'  ^y  burde" 
Not  only  are  tts  't^o  TuT'''  °"  ^  ""^  ^^ 
houses  in  which  these  °^,T  *^''^"'  but  the 

^ArvyTS^rVS  ^^  ^''■^-  ^hen  carry- 
?-*  .-    they  itan  tith  one  IrA-,  »<>  '^^e  two 
f  down  at  the  side  of  T;    "  ."''"'^  '°"^  P" 
for  the  other,  keeping'     ,..™^'^'  ^^  g°   back 
°^the  two  till  the'^nf  oTtht  i,"^^'^  <^"^y""^ 
Thus  a  rest  is  obtained  between     ™.'^  ''  "'^'^'^ 
the  perspiration   pourL  do  1  T^  '^"^-  '^ith 
or  barefoot  in  ke^lv  .!m  '"'  n^^ed   back 

°»   his    legs    but^'',aSf/-'her,  and  nothTng' 
fousers,  the  Chinese  cool  Ir"  .°'   °'^   <^°«°n 
He  earns  whatever  he  «„  "     •'^r  '^^  ^''  "^  We. 


John  Chinaman  at  Work 

the  best  of  .verything,  joking  and  laughing,  and 
seldom  quarrelling  with  any  one. 

Everything  that  surrounds  him  is  conducive  to 
the  expenditure  of  the   least  to  produce   results 
commensurate  to  his  needs.    Even  his  enjoyments, 
barring  the  vices  of  gambling  and  opium-smoking, 
are  on  a  reasonable  scale.    A  mountain  streamlet, 
if  in  the  country,  provides  him  with  some  cool 
water  to  rinse  out  his  mouth  when  thirsty   (not 
much  cold  water  is  drunk  in  China).     Some  one 
has  placed  an  old  bnwl  ready  at  hand  to  catch 
the  water  as  it  trickles  out  of  the  rock,  a  little 
stall  under  some  shady  tree  has  laid  on  it  cups 
of  amber-coloured  tea,  a  few  cakes,  and  fruit, 
any  and  all  of  which  may  be  had  for  the  expendi- 
ture of  a  few  cash.     His  breakfast  he  has  had 
before  leaving  home,  and  his  dinner  he  will  have 
after  his  day's  work  is  over.    He  carries  his  pipe 
and  tobacco  with  him,  and  has  ai  whiff  or  two  out 
of  its  tiny  bowl  every  now  and  then,  or  buys  a 
few  cigarettes  for  a  few  cash  from  a  stall,  and 
one  or  two  may   be  stuck  above  his  ear,   ready 
for  a  smoke  when  wanted.     Sometimes  he  carries 
a  few  cash  in  his  ear.     His  amusements  are  not 
many  :    he  can  always  chat  to  his  heart's  content, 
and   laugh   and   joke   to   any   extent   with   others 
like-conditioned  as  himself.     The  theatre,  with  its 
entrancing  scenes  of  historic  story  or  broad  farce, 
can  be  enjoyed  for  a  mere  trifle. 

It  does  not  seem  much  to  live  for ;   'ai  narttow 
horizon,  the  limitations  great ;   and  yet  he  enjoys 
328 


Happy  though  Poor 


"'hen  his  mother  puts  Wm  T  I  ^^""^^  '^at 
"how  to  be  happy  Aoui^^  °  *''"  P°^''-°»  "^ 

has  solved  the  probl  m  ofho  7'l'"  "  ^^  °"« 
P°or.  it  is  John  ChjL/n  .  °  ■''  '^^PPy  'hough 
he  soon  rises  to  th?'  -^"^  *"  ""^^  '"^'^nces 

^^--behaWTtu.nr^'^'^'"^-''^'''- 

'ion^  XtTdt;^  t?'""''  -^"^  --^  -"■ 

shown  in  their  carvi^'  Trt  "?''"'''"'^^  '°" 
constructed  some  of  fL  **  '^™«  "-ho  have 
as  all  these  Xers  of       T^"'  °^  '^-^  '^"^W. 

ensure.  when^nrcolS'eTl"'  ^^^^^^ 
great  undertakings     T         '   ,      =°™P'etion  of 
Great  .Wall,  i,s"o  mil«  ,o  "^^ '  °^  *'«  '«  *he 
boundaries/which  tJ^tL°"^'  ^'°"^  ""e  northern 
Roman  .W^U  of  Britairif" '°  ~"=*"'«-    ^he 
beside  this  enormous  ^1"^       i"*"  insignificance 
has   remarked    wou,d^r;,1"'^'  "^  °"«  -»»«^ 
Naples.     Nor  isTw    th?     ?   ^""^    ^"""^^l   '° 
Dr.  Stein,  the  exploreVh         "^  ''^"  "^  *"  ^^d- 
of  others!  the"Ssr;e':fThTc?/T^^^«-^ 
gotten.     The  Grand  rlr,  ,  •  ''^^  ''^«°  ^or- 

'o  John  Chin^a^s  pe^^^ilrf''^''  """""^-^ 
which  reflects  far  more  c^H  ^^  ""~^"  '"'"P"^« 
who  devised  and  e^Ze7S\TV'''  '"°""=''* 
•Wall;   and  if  the  tZ  V  ^  ''°*^  'he  Great 

considered,  few  worls^  L'"'"  "^^'^  '*  b« 
CM  be  mentioned  in  the 

3*9 


1  ^1 


r 


John  Chinaman  at  Work 

history  of  any  country  more  admirable  and  use- 
ful. When  originally  constructed,  there  was 
tminterrupted  water  communication  between 
Peking  and  Canton— nearly  the  whole  leng;th  of 
the  Empire. 


/ 


330 


CHAPTER    XXV 

What  John  Chinaman  Believes 

ghosts  of  Aisi^n  ^'""^^  ^shrines  the 
^^Pirits  he  fS  aSaV^:;,^';?  ,f ''■  ^"« 
them  and  desires  thfir  I  ^^  ^   reverences 

that  on  their  coLLrt'  '"j'^^'^  '  ^°'  he  believes 
well-being  °"  ^'^  ^°°dwill  depends  his 

vision  to  What  hi'%£^L"°  ir""'  'l"  '»-'^' 
but  allows  his  fancie/fuu  „i.^  'Z'^^'  '°  ''™' 
described  as  "  th^  d^!n  i  ^  ^  "*  '^''^'  ''^  heen 
our  present  r^^  'rC^^ri^^^^yona 

^ere  are  h^^X  SL? ^^ongsfiher/""  T'''- 
"o  his  charitv   a«  f»,„    .  ^"""s^t  them  for  whom, 

for  them,  h"  JrovidS  ^a  ^Tt  "  "'^''^"  ''^  '^-« 

ghostly  feasts-S'her  S  1° "'"^  *  ''^-    ^hese 

for  famished  starve Hnl  ."*"  =^'="''»°'^  "' 

tor  ms  gods,  coasist  of  the 


Hi 


What  John  Chinaman  Believes 


f 


sublimated  essences  of  solid  food  and  drink,  which 
by  some  subtle  mysterious  mannc  serve  to  feed 
with  their  invisible  elements  the  invisible  beings. 
The  himger  of  the  ghosts  provided  for,  man,  in 
the  persons  of  the  offerer  and  his  family,  can 
fall  on  what  they  have  left.  According  to  John 
Chinaman,  all  are  satisfied,  and,  viewed  from  his 
star.upoint,  it  is  a  most  satisfactory  proceeding, 
for  not  only  are  the  ghosts  fed  but,  except  for 
the  drink  offerings,  some  of  whirh  may  be  poured 
out  on  the  ground,  what  1  .>  been  offered,  un- 
diminished in  quantity,  serves  as  a  feast  for  the 
living. 

Besides  libations  poured  on  the  ground,  smoking 
candles  have  flared  and  ^''ittered  in  the  wind  or 
on  the  quiet  altar,  and  tne  fragrant  savour  of 
incense  floated  in  the  air.  Joss  paper  has  also 
been  changed  to  ashes,  and  somehow  or  other 
penetrated  into  the  spirit-world,  transformed,  so 
John  Chinaman  believes,  by  the  process,  the  unreal 
into  the  real,  the  shadow  into  the  substance,  the 
tinsel  into  silver  and  gold,  by  the  sublimating 
effects  of  the  fire.  Paper  and  bamboo  models 
of  boats  likewise  are  burned,  and  in  the  same 
way  become  boats  fit  to  stem  the  floods  of  Hades. 
Sedan-chairs  and  carriages,  and  even  servants,  all 
made  of  paper  and  bamboo,  are  thus  sent  to 
relatives  and  friends  and  all  who  have  died. 
Equally  flimsy  miniature  houses  are  transformed 
into  gorgeous  substantial  mansions  in  the  Elysian 
Fields  ;  paper  garments,  patterns  of  the  real,  into 
33a 


spirits  and  Deities 


warm    clothing    for    naked    spirits      Th«,    f,.^ 

vided  for  including  even  mock  cash,  jueeled 
somehow  into  real  coin  to  buy  in  the  n'ext"^Sd 

Chfn  J  """""'^   *°   «'="''   f™""   'his,   John 

Chmaman.s  satisfied  that  hell's  evils  are  over" 

ZhLJT  ^*'""  '"°""'''  *'">  P««<=  and 
also  s,^„/'"'^'■^'="^"""y  "  »"=  "=>«  '^''"b.Iess 
and  nu'^r  /""""'  '""'"'^  **"  P"^='''   ^°"k'. 

fromT  '  '*''  ""^''^  '°  '^^'^'^  «he  departed 
from  the  pams  of  hell. 

is  B!!!„tV''".tf "'"  °'  ""^  ''^P"'^'^'  'he  world 
s  peopled  with  beings  who  but  seldom  reveal 
themselves  to  the  eye  of  flesh.     Spirit.  Teside t 

yard  and  at  the  corners  of  the  bridges,  and  are 

wXs"o?  ^^'^  °'"'"^^-  ^""^  ofthe'fon^e^ 
tw  h!      K       "  ^''  °°^  ''""''•^^  than  ever,  as 

rle  ?>,  ""t  "   ^'^'^  °^"   hy  the   God  of 

to  thTin.^^  ?^  ^^"''  ""'"  '^"^"y  he  attained 
to  the  sanctity  of  a  temple  and  shrine  for  himself 
A  midwife  in  Canton,  who  lived  a  century  oT  two 

Tth^ir-^^'f^  ''  ""=  P^'™"  -'"'  °^  -omen 
at  the  most  critical  period  of  their  lives.  A  famous 
g-^ieral  m  feudal  China  two  thousand  yirTo 
more  ago  is  now  the  God  of  War.  All  the  forces 
of  Nature  have  gods  presiding  over  them 
ChSn  '"  *''^P^"'y  <l«Pths  of  the  Yellow  or 
Chma  Sea  sits  m  a  palace  o<  delight  the  Oceau 
S33 


1 


What  John  Chinaman  Believes 

Dragon  King,  who  sends  the  rain,  mounting  the 
sky  and  riding  on  the  clouds,  spouting  out  the 
showers  as  they  fall.  His  duty  is  assigned  him, 
and  the  precise  quantity  he  is  to  send,  the  measure 
of  his  floods  of  blessings  being  fixed  by  the 
inexorable  decrees  and  comraauds  of  the  Gem- 
meous  Ruler,  the  Supreme  Ruler  over  gods  and 
demons  in  the  Taoist  hierarchy  of  irods.  This 
same  Dragon  King  of  the  Ocean  Depths  'it  his 
head  once  for  disobedience  ;  for  he  sent  more 
rain  than  ordered  for  the  purpose  of  falsifying 
the  predictions  of  a  soothsayer,  and  was  beheaded 
in  consequence. 

The  sailor,  especially  the  rough  and  rugged 
Fokiene«i  navigator,  puts  his  faith  in  a  goddess 
who,  while  in  the  flesh,  and  sitting  at  her  spinning- 
wheel,  fell  one  day  into  a  trance-like  sleep,  and 
her  spirit  leaving  her  body  rode  on  the  storm, 
and  rescued  her  father  and  one  brother  from  the 
deep.  She  would  have  succeeded  in  towing  her 
other  brother's  boat  out  of  danger  as  well,  had 
it  not  been  that  her  mother  waked  her,  and  the 
thread  in  her  mouth,  which  was  the  tow-line 
attached  to  the  bows  of  the  subsequently  wrecked 
vessel,  snapped,  and  her  brother  was  drowned. 

The  women  venerate  especially  the  virgin 
Goddess  of  Mercy,  the  daughter,  centuries  ago, 
of  an  Indian  king,  who  withstood  all  attempts  to 
force  her  into  marriage.  Biting  her  finger,  she 
extinguished,  with  the  blood  which  spurted  out,  the 
flames  in  the  palace  whicU  were  lit  to  coerce  her 
334 


Ghosts  and  Den- -ns 


mto  yielding:  or  being  destroyed      Th,  ,-. 
Scat  on  of  tender  m.,  """°yM-     The  personi- 

called  ™.f       mortar.     This  and  kindred  actions 

offilV    tUL^r  Con"  °"  ''"  "'"  °'  ^« 
beinir  H„„     '=  /-ower  Kegions  in  lavour  of  justice 

tinuf  as  theT  '"""^"''  """«  ^"°*=d  ^^ 

a  -irc^u^erare/tryrr  /^ 

as  well  Tl]-  Tbad     plrirr f"  °^  f ' 
jut  out  to  obstruct  their  Z^l  ^' ^::i^  '^- 
•o'tenng  at  these  confers  stones  axHet  u       . 
33S  - 


If 


What  John  Chinaman  Believe* 

jet  into  the  wall,  with  the  awful  words  on  ehetn, 
"A  stone  rrom  the  Tie  Mountain,"  and,  aghast, 
the  ghosts  sweep  round  the  er. 

The  bRnign  God  of  the  Locality,  often  with 
his  wife,  sits  in  a  shrine  at  many  a  street  comer  ; 
for  the  evil  spirits  of  the  English  public -houses 
do  not  infest  these  spots  in  the  Chir  se  streets. 
Shrines  and  altars  to  these  tutelary  spirits  abound. 
At  each  shop-front,  in  the  end  of  the  counter 
which  separates  part  of  the  shop  from  the  street, 
a  little  niche  is  seen  in  the  stone-  or  briclc-worlc, 
and  in  it  on  red  paper  or  a  board  can  be  read' 
an  inscription  which  bears  the  name  of  the  God 
of  Wealth  ;  for  the  Chinese  are  hjnest  in  acknow- 
ledging that  they  worship  wealth.  Many  in  the 
.West  do  likewise,  but  will  not  allow  that  they 
do.  This  inscription  is  often  an  invocation  to 
riches  to  come  and  bless  the  shopkeeper  ;  incense 
night  and  :noming  is  lighted  before  this,  and 
offerings  often  .  lade.  Another  <ihrine  is  in  the 
shop  j'self,  where  also  incense  i  his  service,  as 
well  as  other  acknowledgments  of  the  gods 
presence. 

A  list  of  Chinese  gods  and  deities  ivould  be 
long,  and  never  complete,  as  new  ones  are  con- 
stantly being  added  to  the  number  ;  and  what 
would  serve  for  one  part  of  the  country  would 
not  be  appropriate  to  another.  The  gods  have 
come  down  to  the  Chinese  in  f'le  form  of  meai, 
or  rather  men  have  risen  to  the  heavens  in  th? 
form  of  gods,  for  nearly  all  the  deified  heroes 
336 


Comprehension 


o"  mt'-'"'  "^  »  "--  "'"ory.  either  «,ci«« 

them,elvesT;l,i UnlfLr /'':'  '°  '•^''= 
when  ,hey  are  mvS  bacL  I^'  """■  '"""'• 
verx.uchn.e,ro:„^„^-J^,!:;-^^^^ 

eminence  conferred  T  hem  b^^.  ""^     ."  '''«'' 

who  feh^r^bleVs  ale  r  ''t"'".  °"  =*^* 
philosophical  ,elf-negai  oU^l.^S"'',"'  ""- 
Buddhism  ha,  take/ under  her  wS  J  ""^.V" 
wisdom  and  eclectic  selection  ^'        "'"'"'•''y 

hatched  many  a  Sief  eS  "^  ''"  ''^^'  '«'' 

her  original  tenets  if  bne/'v^rHTr''"!^  "'* 
of  all  beliefs  tvpical  ofVh  ^  ^  '^  ""^  tolerance 
Taoism  oftek  'hares  in^h"""*""  ^'''""=*'=  """d. 
».m,an  heart,  a'? L'",  ds'  rrra/so""  "'■''' 
companions  in  the  sam^  rn!,       .  ,        ^""letimes 

them  .nmus  inUr  HZ  ^Tc^lf""''  I!"  '^^ 
of  All  Ages.  Confucms.  the  Sage 

Temples    abound    containing    a    panther    of 


What  John  Chinaman  Believes 

Buddhist  or  Taoist  gods.  In  the  former  a  trinity 
of  the  Three  Precious  Buddhas  is  enshrined  in 
the  place  of  honour  ;  representing  in  the  exoteric 
form  of  the  faith  the  esoteric  beliefs  of  the  three 
most  precious  things  of  the  Buddhist  belief,  vary- 
ing in  different  fanes,  as  different  views  are  held 
as  to  the  pre-eminence  of  the  component  elements 
of  the  faith.  Gaudama's  followers  are  likewise 
deified— first,  iS,  the  most  common  number,  then 
300,  and  even  10,000.  Numerous  other  Buddhist 
saints  and  even  demi-gods  taken  over  from  primi- 
tive beliefs  share  the  main  buildings  of  the  temples, 
or  the  side  chapels. 

The  same  holds   good  of  Taoism,   which  has 
created  a  trinity  of  its  own,  to  vie  with  Buddhism, 
though,  like  it,  it  has  sunk  from  a  system  of  philo- 
sophy to  one  of  idolatry.     In  a  Taoist  temple,  if 
large,  may  sometimes  be  seen  a  hall  set  apart 
for  the  images  of  the  threescore  beings  who  are 
supposed  to  preside  over  the   sixty  years  of  the 
Chinese  sexagenary  cycle.    Then  in  the  city  temple 
will  be  seen  in  the  cloisters  of  its  outer  compart- 
ments scenes  representing  the  Ten  Courts  of  Hades, 
each   with   its   judge,    and   lictors,   as   on   earth,' 
torturing   poor   wretches    for   the   peccadilloes   of 
killing  insects,  as  well  as  for  more  flagrant  sins 
and  crimes.     Hades  is  modelled  on  earth. 

Then,   besides  the   larger  temples   and  monas- 
teries, smaller  temples  are  scattered  all  over  the 
cities,   towns,   and  villages,  and  even  along  the 
country  roads,  almost  as  thick  as  public-houses 
338 


m 


Temples  and  idols 


hu^r  ^"^  •"'""   '""^   '^«^«"«  -"ember  of  the 
W.».d  i.  by  U„  „rf„ J   ™"f;   «     »», 

pr^eS:--£^tS 

in  Which  r  LtTo  ndTr  •   TeS  °^  ^T 

.PP-0.C1,,;        "*  '"  "■""  »"  *"«ri»s  .h. 

339  * 


^.Jp- 


What  John  Chinaman  Believes 

arise  for  the  sale  of  these  accessories  of  heathen 
worship,  to  disappear  when  the  short  season  is 
over. 

Monasteries  and  nunneries  are  found  in  the 
land :  the  former  more  often  in  wooded  glen  by 
the  banks  of  some  bubbling  mountain  brook,  and 
here  pilgrims  resort,  combining  a  love  of  Nature 
with  the  exercise  of  religious  observances.  Monas- 
teries are  also  found  in  busy  cities,  as  well  as 
convents.  Both  monks  and  nuns  are  held  in  very 
little  estimation  by  the  Chinese. 

Buddhism  and  Taoism  have  seen  their  best  days 
in  China.  To  a  great  extent  they  are  decadent 
faiths.  The  Chinese  are  ready  to  accept  a  belief 
in  anything  strange.  The  attitude  they  appear 
often  to  take  is,  that  it  may  be  well  to  take  the 
chance  of  somethihg  proving  useful  and  worthy 
of  belief.  Hence  the  religious  belief  of  John 
Chinaman  is  a  conglomerate  one :  a  dash  of 
Nature  worship,  in  many  of  its  numerous  develop- 
ments, and  the  cult  of  ancestor  worship.  Most  of 
the  Old  .World's  primitive  beliefs  are  to  be  traced 
in  survivals  in  China— a  traditional  belief  in  the 
Supreme  Ruler,  a  providence  typified  by  heaven 
and  earth,  and  on  all  this  is  superimposed  the 
idolatrous  systems  of  Buddhism  and  Taoism,  which 
have  opened  the  way  for  a  gross  mass  of  super- 
stition. 

As  to  his  ordinary  beliefs,  apart  from  his 
religious  feelings,  one  will  find  a  counterpart  in 
the  absurd  theories  and  utterly  erroneous  opinions 
34° 


strange  Objects 

white    faces       He    il,-        *"">'  ««'  »»''.  and 
equipped  as  to  be  abktr*    "'    "°    ^nderfully 
and  d.cover  hid^en't^rur «'  T.  fj.r '  H  ," "'^ 
that  we  can  and  do  take  L  h    u      " ''^''^^'^ 
Chinese  babies  whom  1.         I  ^'^  ^^^  °«  "^ 
and  make  SerfuUi2r":'"  '°'  '^^'  P"nx.se, 
them.    In  proof  orthfaVefh?  r'''"'"'""'  '^"^ 
our  hospital  and  the  graves  :fttd7  'T'  " 
m    orphanages    establifhtn    k     """''hngs  buried 
Chinese  infLs  Tu^lLw.  1?'^"^  '     '"' 
amongst  the  natives  ™'  'nterment 


341 


CHAPTER   XXVI 

New  Life  in  Old   China 

CHINA  awoke  the  other  day  after  a  Rip  van 
Winkle  sleep  of  centuries  to  realise  that  she 
who  had  been  first  would  soon  be  last  in  the 
march  of  the  nations.  She  had  been  the  leading 
Power  in  the  Far  East.  Nations  near  and  fax 
sought  her  smile,  or  trembled  at  her  frown.  Her 
commerce  spread  far  and  wide  in  her  own  vessels 
and  penetrated  to  the  farthest  parts  of  their  then 
known  world.  Her  armies  subdued  the  neighbour- 
ing nations,  and  even  carried  war  to  the  borders  of 
India.  Her  civilisation  became  that  of  the  Far 
Eastern  world  ;  for  her  near  neighbours  based 
their  letters,  their  literature,  their  art  on  China's. 
Her  inventions  preceded  similar  revelations  to 
master-minds  in  the  West,  or  in  some  capes  may 
even  have  given  hints  to  the  West,  and  in  others 
gradually  spread  through  the  East  to  the  West. 
Her  sages  preached  the  highest  morality  known  to 
many  a  nation,  and  were  accepted  as  the  teachers 
of  neighbouring  peoples.  Her  priests  travelled  to 
the  distant  land  of  India  in  the  interests  of  what 
342 


The  Old  Style 


Aey  considered  a  better  faith   f„  i 

ont.  and  brin,  baVk  ".  s^r'ed  b^\™  ^d"   r"^ 
and    then    Dai«*H    «„    .u      .  '  *"°  ''el'cs. 

acquired  to   Tal^d"!.'""*"''*^"'    "«=y    "ad 
of  the  faith.     ^  ^"^  °'^"  """'"«  ^ceptive 

At  last  the  inexorable  decrees  of  F.f 
to  thunder  forth  that  ,v       ,^  °'  *^ate  seemed 
her  thoughts  in  the  c^"    '""'  '''°"'''  <=°n«ne 

the  past,  Aee  at  th«  .       achievements  of 

helm':    The  glor  ous  f^hT  ?^  ^''^  ^"""^  -»  '^e 

such  honour,  and  bid  fair  .t  b^  th    '"  ""'  *"" 
an  ...developed  no  fLr:,-;~- 

be.'Jo^Id'^^^;b^  e'nl^^r-"  r  ^-^  ^''^^ 
the  women's  feet  were  bound  iT'h  /  "''"■  ■"' 
their  power  of  free  a^d  hl^tt  ''^'^^«=.  and  lost 
of  thfmen  we^  ^cribh  ^  ^T"'  '°  "'^  ""'"^^ 
by  the  tight  fe^::s  of^n!  ;rS;m^-r'" 
old  antiquity,  and  unfitted  for  the  fr..    t  ^^" 

on  the  path  of  progress      Ch^n!  '"'""^  °"' 

^  bones.  ■.leachVbH.e  S^yT^^J^^^^ 
of  man,  ai,  these  dry  bones  live?  "  ^Th.  h 

rL^bio^— 2'/'':  T'  -'"""- 

astheZeitgeist^XeTr^edtheT;  '^  '  ^''"'"^^ 
of  the  earth.  P^^^trated  these  remotest  parts 

Why  this  state  of  things?     What  had  served  i„ 
343 


New  Life  in  Old  China 

ages  past  was  thought  lit  for  ages  to  come.  Glory 
and  honour  and  power  had  all  come  from  what  had 
been  tried  and  had  not  been  found  wanting. 
Why,  when  the  foundations  of  the  Empire  had 
stood  strong  on  it  ;  when  the  eminence  of  the 
Empire  had  resulted  from  it ;  when  the  submission 
of  nations  had  been  its  reward— should  it  not  be 
the  hope  and  salvation  of  the  future?  All  round 
this  Central  Empire  of  civilisation  were  inferior 
peoples  and  nations  ;  barbarians,  many  of  them, 
with  no  fixed  abodes — nomads  with  no  written  lan- 
guage or  literature,  savage  and  wild. 

When  from  beyond  the  Western  Seas  men  of 
stranger  tribes  arrived,  like  ghosts  in  appearance, 
in  strange  ships,  with  apparently  no  manners,  who 
tore  up  the  printed  jiage  and  misused  the  written 
leaf,  they  apparently  were  other  barbarians,  ready 
with  tribute  for  the  Son  of  Heaven,  and  should  be 
treated  as  such,  and  if  perfectly  submissive  allowed 
to  depart,  their  tribute -bearing  mission  over.  But 
these  strangers  asserted  their  independence  ;  they 
determined  to  stay  and  trade,  they  insisted  on  their 
equality  to,  if  not  superiority  over,  the  civilised 
Chinese.  •  Such  presumption,  such  arrogance,  could 
not  be  tc'i-rated  or  endured  for  a  moment.  They 
must  be  k  pt  in  check  and  ruled  with  a  strong 
hand.  If  his  Imperial  Majesty  allowed  them  to 
remain,  the  regulations  laid  down  for  their 
guidance  must  be  rigidly  adhered  to. 

An  increasing  trade  was  carried  on  with  this 
stranger  within  their  gates.     Restricted  on  every 
344 


Foreign  Concessions 


pons,  which  were  inrr  ';"'•=""="•'  ««  'he  treaty 
gained  first  by  force  !f  '''""'"'^'  "^^'"^  "''-" 
diplomacy  •    thn   V  """    ^""^   '»«"ly    hy 

extorSom  th    Chf"  """/"""-d  '-a.y'port' 

nin.  .0  oS™  ;L''  e^.;  r;i:^r'=  ''"^'"- 

she    reached    a    hand  T  -        ''"■^-     '^'''™ 

Arthur.  sLland  fnlln  ?  '"^  ^"'P'^'^  ^"^ 
Then  other  nation/  ..  '""  ^"''  ^eihaiwei. 
bing.  itay  tmed  f ''  '° -'""''"""^  "'^  «"^- 
.asped  at  th^e  d:r„'dsVad:  on"  hTr  tr"t  '"'"^ 
Japan  had  already  taken  Formosa  in  wt  "T^?' 
Chinaman  at  last  had  n,«  '    "°  J°h" 

The   spoilers   agreed   to   sr-r^*^  '°  ^^^  "  ^^  '  " 
preserve  the  Emprrintact';    "°   "r^'    ""   '° 
come  to  blows   and    hi  ""    -^?*"  """^  ^'''"^  had 
Chinaman  in^^J^d  TSan""''/^  J°'^" 
hours,  had  beaten  him  to  thl    ^^P^""*^'  »"'  «igh- 
Japan  saw  that  rKuss^;'- :;,t,^  r'-^- 
designs  on  the  sovereignty  of  Chill       T         ^^^ 
Manchuria  and  took  K^orL"sh?r:M"?remrin^ 
34S 


New  Life  in  Old  China 

her  thoei  for  her  own  kingdom,  to  exerting  her- 
lelf,  drove  her  enemy  out  of  Port  Arthur, 
recovering  it  for  the  Chinese.  This  staggered 
the  world,  and  China  wondered,  and  pondered  deep 
the  lesson. 

All  this  time  another  secret  silent  conquest  of 
China  had  been  going  on,  despised  by  many,  over- 
looked by  others,  almost  ignored,  disdained  by 
the  majority  of  the  Celestials,  wrapped  up  as  they 
were  in  their  pride  and  conceit.  The  missionaries, 
besides  their  direct  evangelistic  labours,  had  been 
busy  in  producing  geographies,  arithmetics,  works 
on  science,  by  the  hundreds  and  thousands,  and 
teaching  them  in  their  schools.  A  few  others  also 
assisted  in  bringing  Western  knowledge  to  the 
Chinese.  Thus  many  minds  were  being  prepared 
for  what  was  to  come.  There  were  two  factors  at 
least,  if  there  were  not  others,  ready  to  combine 
and  act  as  leverage  on  the  fulcrum  of  the  Japanese 
victories  over  the  West  and  rouse  China  from  her 
inertia  of  ages.  If  Japan  could  conquer  a  We;,  »  m 
nation  by  the  application  of  a  Western  army  and 
navy,  why  could  not  China  rise  to  the  occasion, 
and,  copying  Japanese  methods,  learn  from  the 
West  to  keep  the  West  at  bay?  So  said  some  of 
China's  progressives. 

A  wave  of  patriotism  burst  forth  from  the  cave 
of  the  Western  winds.  Latent  in  the  Chinese 
character,  buried  for  ages  in  petty  provincial 
jealousies,  stifled,  this  patriotism  has  risen  stagger- 
ing like  a  drunkard,  drunk  from  the  sleep  of  ages, 
346 


Rapid  Changes 


couil^  »<"netime,    blmdly    for    home    and 

country,  u„rea,onmg  in  i„  uncertain  cour.e  ;   but 
wbenngr,  «  will  ere  long  u,c  i„  strength  aright 
Chma  move,  at  last;    but  it,  new  life  has  b«n 
pTrio?!  '";''-.r"-  »'"'  --  thante  Chi„^ 
suffered  '"  ""  ''™«^''''  •""  °"'"''  "ave 

ardent  reformer,  was  rapidly  hastening  progresT 

awoke"";:;  i^";' ■'■  "'^"  '*"' '««-""'  '-- 

SW.;  \"*  '""•''''  ■"•"  '"  'heir  anger 

Slower  progress   has  been  the  order  of  the  dlv 

such    drastic    changes    as    were    then    beine    in- 

S:  It  ^"^  f  .^"""^  »''  "  nuiveri:g%Uh 
Change  It  has  not  always  been  steady  progress  • 
contradictory  edicts  have  been  issued  ;  n^w  a 
promise  of  change  has  been  rescinded  now  a^ 
order  has  not  been  obeyed  ;  but  the  gen^ralt^n^ 
has  been  a  progressive  one.    The  forces  of  opS- 

will  a  s?n  :h:rr''  ^'"^'"'"^  Wh«herThey 
to  L  se"  *''!,"^^^'''«  ■"  ^''P'^'ive  energy  remain, 

fain  hnnl  J  T"*  ^^'  '^""  '^°"='  °^^  *Ould 
fam  hope  and  ardently  believe,  to  render  retro" 
gress.on    possible.      That    there    may    be    check 

thTcK-J  "  T  "^  '"'^'="  ^-  /ranted-t 
the  clo..k  cannot  be  set  back  permanently.  The 
mamspnng    of    Chinese    official    life-its    unique 

ut  me  tmpire.     The  exammation  halls  of  bygone 

ages,   where  generations   have   sat  for  the  c^m! 

347 


New  Life  in  Old  China 


petitive  examinations,  have  been  taken  down,  and 
in  their  place  normal  schools  have  been  erected. 
The  Confucian  classics  are  being  ousted,  their  place 
being  taken  by  modem  text-books  of  knowledge 
and  science. 

The  antiquated  modes  of  travel  ar;  being  gradu- 
ally changed.  The  process  has  been  going  on 
for  a  number  of  years  past,  and  it  is  all  the 
better  that  it  should  not  dislocate  and  throw  into 
confusion,  rebellion,  and  distress  those  who  have 
earned  their  living  by  the  old  methods.  The  new 
and  the  old  are  still  to  be  seen  together.  First  came 
the  fine  American  river  steamers  on  the  Canton 
River  and  the  Yangtse,  and  ocean-going  steamers 
navigated  the  China  Seas  as  soon,  or  even  before 
that.  An  American  firm's  fleet  .of  steamers  was 
purchased  years  ago  and  added  to,  and  they  have 
run  up  and  down  the  coast  imder  a  Chinese  com- 
pany's flag  and  the  Yellow  Dragon  flag,  with 
foreign  captains  and  officers.  This  is  the  largest 
enterprise  of  the  kind  engaged  in  ;  but  numerous 
single  or  small  steamers  are  Chinese-owned,  run- 
ning mainly  on  inland  waters,  and  hundreds  of 
small  steam-launches  ply  up  and  down  the 
numerous  rivers  and  waterways  of  China.  These 
are  manned  entirely  by  Chinese.  They  are  built 
and  engined  also  by  Chinese  shipbuilding  and 
engineering  firms,  which  have  sprung  up  for  the 
purpose  in  the  last  few  years. 

One   sees    the   whole   transition    process    as    it 
appears   to   be,   though   perhaps   not   really  alto- 
348 


11,  and 
rected. 
r  place 
wledge 

gradu- 
;ng  on 
ill  the 
w  into 
3  have 
le  new 
t  came 
I^anton 
;amers 
before 
rs  was 
y  have 
;  com- 
,  with 
largest 
nerous 
I,  run- 
;ds  of 
1  the 
These 
;  built 
;  and 
or  the 


as    It 
alto- 


STKLKT    SC(:NE:    I'EKING. 


STREET   SCENE:    MOUKDEN. 


Transition 

passaeeboJ    1"  '"'''"  '''"'■'"'"  '"^'-driven 
carrTef  t      '  "   "   '''"   ^'^am-launch   which 

carries    passengers;     there    is    the    steam-launch 

crowded  :-tr  °'  '''  "X^-f-hioned  passage  Ct 
crowded  wuh  passengers-all  on  the  Canton  River 

ir^L.  f" ^"^    "'"^"'    "°wadays,    from    the 

Apart  from  what  has  happened  in  Pekine    be 
gmnmgs   have   been   made   i„   one   or  two  ;ther" 
places  to  make  the  roads  and  streets  w  d7r      Ju 
a  whole  broadening  and  relaying  of  thoroughfare 

of  vehL^t^r   '''°"   ^^"^'"^   '"  ^''^  =hap 
or  vehcular  traffic  can  penetrate  the  narrow  lanes 

les^  TbtV^"^-  '°^  "^^"=  ■"  --  ^''S 
ernes.     A  broad  carnage-road  has  for  some  years 

Railways  are  being  constructed  (see  ■■  How  Tohn 
Chmaman  Travels"),  and  where  introducrd  are 
largely  made  use  of  by  the  Chinese. 

and'^Sr  t^waslrst's  ^^.  f  "^-''--'l  «- 
were    imported  T  if  r^^  t^rsTTht^  ^^ 
poured  them  into  the  country  ■    and  now  r7 
.s  beginning  to  make  them  he^'er^The^^emt^d 
349 


New  Life  In  Old  China 

for  them  is  great.  The  old  shallow  saucer  of  oil, 
or  tumbler  with  a  layer  of  oil  on  the  top  of 
water,  and  the  rush  wick,  are  fast  going  oefore 
the  kerosene  lamp,  and  that  has  not  entirely  ousted 
it  before  the  electric  Ught  has  established  itself 
in  the  streets  and  shops  of  some  of  the  large 
dties. 

The  enlightened  statesman  and  poet  So  Toong- 
poh  spoke  centuries  ago  of  brinr  ng  a  water-supply 
into  the  city  of  Canton,  instead  of  relying  on 
wells  and  the  river  ;  but  it  needed  the  stimulus 
of  contact  with  the  West  to  bring  the  old  dream 
to  a  reality.  The  author  some  two  or  three  years 
ago  saw  water-pipes  being  laid  under  the  streets 
in  the  black  filth  of  the  sewers  for  this  purpose. 
Already  for  some  years  overground  water-pipes, 
to  convey  water  from  the  river  at  Canton  to  ex- 
tinguish fires,  have  been  laid  in  the  streets  of 
that  city,  the  water  being  pumped  into  them  when 
necessary  Tjy  steam-power  from  the  stations  on 
the  river -banks  built  for  that  purpose.  Previous 
to  this  the  public  wells  in  the  streets  afforded 
the  supply  to  the  small  manual  fire-engines  used. 

Shops  after  the  Westt.a  style  are  beginning 
to  appear,  filled  with  modem  books,  such  as  trans- 
lations into  Chinese  of  scientific  works  as  well 
as  of  novels.  These  shops  are  appearing  cheek 
by  jowl  with  the  old  shops,  stored  with  the  old 
material  for  acquiring  Celestial  lore. 

A  newspaper  press  has  been  created,  which  is 
progressive  in  all  of  its  tendencies,  widely  reao,  and 
350 


Newspapers 


it  is  that  Chna    as  Tn  sf        "•\.'^°P'«-     True 

the  issue  of  a  daily  sh '  /  3  r°  ""'"""^  '° 
it  is  not  a  newspaper  i^th/ ^T"'"'"'  "''^  ' 
of  the   term    but  k   r  ^*'™  acceptation 

™„j  ^   Government  eazette       xi,- 

m-idem  newspaper  nrp«  „f  r-u-      t       '^^      The 

rapid  in  its  gS  ?m  1  "^  ''^'  ^'^  ™°« 

newspaper,  Tdthe   '  CstTLf  "^^^  '''''" 

:"arr^tn^--^s^j;: 

HLi^djir^^r----':^ 
cas'es-i„  t?  :Lt4  t!:rorr  °^  '^° 

Where  formerly  it  waTsimnlvlh  ^  '^^  ^^P'^" 
of  the  provinces  whTtor'^L  I  ""T^  '"°'"' 

-.aryshopL^aKltirSa^^^ 

a"^w;^;ro.rir--'^-e.^^fof 

on^dStitr  toX^ewV"?  i"  ''^^  ^'-''- 
.enewsch.,s.^-t-^-/--. 

i^-^^^^^^;^:^s--^p-ess. 

-rmous  armies  and  Jvies.     TwfslTl  tlf 
35' 


*IU 


PlV- 


New  Life  in  Old  China 

have  been  destroyed  in  recent  wars  ;  but  another 
is  in  contemplation,  and  numerous  mosquito  gun- 
boats may  be  seen  lying  at  anchorage  belonging 
to  provincial  authorities,  and  in  time  the  old- 
fashioned  war-junks  will  be  a  thing  of  the  past. 
There  is  a  large  nucleus  of  a  foreign-trained  army 
ready  for  development  into  China's  standing  army  : 
so  that  the  supersession  of  the  old  native  army  is 
being  gradually  accomplished. 

New  police  forces  have  been  formed,  to  take 
the  place  of  the  effete  bodies  of  soldiers  whose 
duty  it  was  to  undertake  such  work  in  the  past. 

And,  best  sign  of  all  in  the  present  uplift  of 
China,  the  moral  sense  of  the  nation  is  now  assert- 
ing itself  in  the  determination  to  put  an  end  to 
the  insidious  vice  of  opium-smoking  :  both  the 
Government  and  the  best  sense  of  the  people  are 
at  one  in  the  matter  ;  and  those  qualified  to  judge 
believe  that  it  will  be  done. 

One  of  China'c  foremost  statesmen  is  desirous 
of  doing  away  with  polygamy,  which  is  responsible 
for  much  evil  in  China.  To  begin  with,  it  gives 
to  the  Chinese  a  loose  idea  of  the  proper  relation- 
ships of  the  sexes  ;  it  produces  no  end  of  discord 
in  family  life  ;  it  demands  from  the  official  classes 
a  disproportionate  expenditure  and  it  keeps  woman 
in  a  low  position. 

The  moral  sense  of  the  nation  should  rise  against 

polygamy,    which   is    believed   to   be   responsible, 

amongst  the  other  evils  already  named,  for  much 

of  the  bribery  and  corruption,  as  Ihe  large  families 

352 


■riii 


Reforms  Needed 


The  first  steps  towards  1^    >     '^  °'  °"'"- 
taken,  and  have  met ^th        ^'^''"^^'  have  been 

tiona.  .overn.ir:ri;srs:rsr.  '-''^■ 

rejonns    that    arr  cTamant  ^areTheT  n  "'•  ""'' 

to  rule  in  equity    without  ^  '^^  '"^'^'" 

temptation  to  Ic'cepT  bribe  and  "'  '""'^'""^ 
-d^  to  render  it  u^X  for 'hT  to  ^■""""' 
to  forced  contributions  from  th  -.        '■^^°" 

carry  on  these  chants  Z^  u  ""''''  '""  »° 
questionable  methods  he  h"  to  em„T''  '''  ""^ 
the  needful  funds  'or  the  »  T  °^  *°  P'°^'''« 
his  position  emails  *^       ^"^''^^  expenditure 

tha?:S.tr,ivt"r!fe^  '^""^  ^"^  '^'''' '' 
provides  a  cloak  foftM  '"""''  ""^''y-  ^nd 

evils,  as  well  as  affo  ^'"'"'"^  ^"^  ''^  ^"«°<l-nt 
the  ranks  oflb^dotdtolnr^  aT  "^^^ 
been  made  towards  a  bette^„t  ^f  .t?'""""^  ''"= 
Reforms  in  law  =,„T  ^  ""^  ^y^'««- 

nowandthetlmin^d'anEttobe'-'^^^  ''^- 
should  be  carried  out  wlhom Irtht'dT^'l 
prison  reform  shonM  h<.  'urtner  delay,  and 

Piracy  shTuId  be  out  d""'  ^'"^"'^  established, 
for  it  ren'ders  trlve  un^aftXlS  oV^^  ''^'' 
-certain,  and  destroys^c^Lt;^;^!^^^" 


1^ 


New  Life  in  Old  China 

to  this,  the  solders'  pay  should  be  regular  and 
certain,  the  construction  of  railways  pushed  on, 
to  provide  a  rapid  transit  for  foodstuffs  in  times 
of  famine  ;  the  silted-up  river-beds  dredged,  and 
afforestation  begrn,  to  prevent  the  great  devasta- 
tion wrought  by  floods. 

These  are  but  a  few  of  the  urgent  needs  of 
China,  a  few  of  the  urgently  required  reforms, 
some  if  not  all  of  which  are  engaging,  or  will 
shortly  engage,  the  best  attention  of  the  now 
thoroughly  aroused  and  progressive  Chinese. 


354 


CHAPTER   XXVn 

What    Missionaries  Have  Done  for 
John  Chinaman 

^""ZTy:,z:  "^'"^^'  "•- '"-  -ch  a 

habitable  gZ"  ^11^"'"'''^  "  '^'''''^  °^  '^^ 
so  full  of  LeresMn  r,n   ^  """P'"  ^'  '^=  Chinese, 

attention  of  C^renXT  ^ 'sute"]?  n"  '"^ 
sionary  enterorisp     Tt,;  ^"Sgest  to  it  mis- 

been  acted  "Jon  quiS^'^lTtn"  rT'  '°  ''^- 
According  to  the  N^V^        *^  f  '''*'  Christian  era. 

and  disco've?ed  aeclrtX  ^S'  '^'''  ^"-  '''• 
sionaries  of  this  CWh^      ^^""^  '°  '^^'S,  mis- 

505.  though  nt:  s'Xa^at  of  fh"  '"^  ^ 
Since  the  year  120  .  ^  ™"°f  them  is  left, 
sent  to  ChLa  the  RonT  ^■^°''"  ''°™'^  *as 
«ade  the  co^'tr^  morTT  .  *°'"  ''''"'=''  ''-^ 
of  its  fields.  iThTrnow  1  ™°'«"°"s'y.  one 
priests  and  well  on  for  a  mmin7rl'-'°°  "^"""opean 
.  The  first  Protestita^^'v  to  r"  "'"""'"• 
in  China  was  the  Lon^„T  vr  •  ^  ^presented 
Robert  Morrison   reached   cJ^"'='°""^    ^°^'«y- 

'-.an.  William  ^^^^rTrst'-asSttl' 


What  Missionaries  Have  Done 


July,  1813.  A  sister  society,  the  American  Board 
of  Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions,  followed 
in  1837,  the  Netherlands  Mis'iionary  Society 
having  in  the  meantime  sent  one  man  on  to  the 
field.  Since  that  period  the  agents  of  other 
societies— British,  American,  and  Continental — have 
settled  in  the  land. 

At  present,  Protestant  missionaries  in  the  whole 
Empire  number  over  4,200,  residing  at,  or  itine- 
rating from,  more  than  five  hundred  stations. 
From  three  hundred  miles  beyond  Mukden,  the 
capital  of  Manchuria,  in  the  north,  to  Hong  Kong, 
Canton,  and  the  island  of  Hainan  in  the  south,  from 
Shanghai  in  the  east  to  Chungking  and  the  borders 
of  Tibet  in  »he  west,  it  is  pos.  ible  in  many  large, 
and  in  some  (Tiparatively  small,  towns,  to  worship 
with  Christian  congregations  of  Chinese,  led  by 
their  own  Chinese  clergy  or  pastors,  At  the  same 
time  there  are  large  tracts  of  country  which  remain 
as  yet  untouched  by  missionary  effort. 

The  agencies  employed  have  been  most  varied 
and  multiplied.  Medical  work  was  started  almost 
at  once,  educational  methods,  were  adopted,  and 
literature  poured  out  of  the  press,  while  at  the 
same  time  evangelistic  labours  were  carried  on. 
Thousandr  of  books  have  been  printed,  either 
original  works  or  translations.  As  opportunities 
offered  and  more  facilities  were  granted,  further 
efforts  were  made  to  reach  those  hitherto  un- 
touched, such,  for  example,  as  woman's  work 
amongst  the  families  of  not  only  the  more  acces- 
356 


Christian  Philanthropy 

uuoi   cr   access   by   which   an   entranr^   »,,=    k 
3S7 


What  Missionaries  Have  Done 

a  few  of  which  have  been  pointed  out  in  former 
chapters.  The  presence  of  the  missionary  has 
had  much  to  do  with  the  existence  of  the  new 
ideas  which  the  nev-bom  newspaper  press  gives 
voice  to.  Native  hospitals  have  had  as  their  pro- 
totypes mission  hospitals,  as  well  as  those  in 
Hong-Kong,  Shanghai,  and  Macao. 

Confucianism  has  started  preaching-halls  in 
imitation  of  the  street  chapel.  Men  of  prominence, 
though  unconnected  with  mission  churches,  have 
felt,  unknown  perhaps  to  themselves,  the  influ- 
ence of  Christianity  on  their  livos  and  condljct, 
and  the  proud  scholar  and  haughty  official  also, 
unconsciously  to  themselves,  have  been  impressed 
by  the  sight  of  Christianity  in  their  midst.  The 
thirst  for  a  modem  education  owes  its  inception 
to  mission  schools  and  the  instruction  there 
given. 

The  taste  for  a  new  literature  is  not  only  the 
outcome  of  what  Christianity  provided  through 
missionaries,  but  the  means  to  print  this  litera- 
ture owes  its  origin  largely  to  missionaries  :  the 
first  font  of  type  was  cast  for  Morrison's  dictionary, 
and  the  Chinese  type-case  and  the  electrotype 
process  applied  to  the  making  of  the  matrices 
for  Chinese  type  were  the  invention  of  an  American 
missionary. 

Even    commerce,    which    at    first    thought    the 

advent  of  the  missionary  would   be  a  hindrance, 

has  profited  by  the  spread  of  enlightenment  and 

the     desire     for     better    things     which     follows 

3S8 


n,i„i    ''*'''**°"  *<>  Christianity 

;"«  ^^ood  influence,'  :'Sr«'  »'  -hoc.,  and 
t08:«her  of  many  in  church  °"  ""=  ^^'^'^ing 
*  constitutional  gorer^Jlt  "^  -^"^  ''«'«  '»' 
""pulse  from  contact  ^Ttrthrr"'"  '"  '»"*>' 
American  in  the  countrv  k  E"?'»hman  and 
but  be  coloured  by7e'L^''°"'  """  ""'^  "ot 
'^=.in  their  native'land  JT''°'  '''"  h°me 
•ocial  ideah.  ^'  ^'  '^^^rds  politic  and 

missiopLteVnT'l'?/,,"^'  ^!!"«'«'"ty  and 
'he  Chinese,  mere  sutistk!  7  '°'  ^'""^  and 
sufficient  to  give  a  fS  r^  ^  ^^''^  *^«=  "<« 
P««  result,,  the  prlZtTn^"""''''''  '^''^  °'  'he 
prospects.  ^    '*""  Progress,  and  the  future 

J^^^'^^Ll^rr^'-^hinahasnot 
the  obstacle,  to  the  "LT"°"  '''"*•  '"deed 
propagated  by  foreig^erw,™"'  ^^^  ^-'h 
!°  '"ake  the  spread^  L  „?w"reT"""^  ''"=''  - 
f  P"'l,  ^>nd  its  progress  n^  T"  ^  «"«'" 
Parafvely  slow.     At  vfrio'  """^  ^^  com- 

P«t  the  representat  vesTrn'"""'^'  '"  '^'  distant 
spelled  from  the  count  °  ?"''"?  '"'^^-ns  were 
spread  violence,  such  ar;h  .  "°'''™  ''•»«  wide- 
"f  '900,  and  I«:al  outbrll  "'  '"''  ^'"'''  ^-ing 
wrought  death  to  the  gW t,-       "  ''"'  "'"^^ 


What  Missionaries  Have  Done 

China.  This  movement  produced  a  new  attitude 
towards  foreign  teachers  and  foreign  teaching.  As 
the  science  and  literature  of  the  West  came  into 
demand,  it  was  necessary  to  find  teachers  who 
understood  it  and  could  make  its  treasures  acces- 
sible to  the  Chinese  learner.  The  lead  thus  given 
by  authority  and  by  persons  of  learning  affected, 
naturally  enough,  the  general  attitude  of  the 
population. 

The  change  has  been,  of  course,  most  favour- 
able to  the  advancement  of  Christianity,  although 
perhaps  naturally  it  produced  new  dangers.  For 
whilst  there  began  a  more  general  disposition  to 
read  the  literature  of  Christianity,  there  also 
became  accessible,  especially  to  the  learned,  litera- 
ture which  attacked  Christianity.  In  nothing,  how- 
ever, has  the  advance  of  Christian  propaganda; 
under  the  new  conditions  been  more  remarkable 
than  in  the  development  of  Christian  literature 
work.  The  Bible  Societies  have  also  rendered 
great  service  by  publishing  and  circulating  trans- 
lations of  the  Holy  Scriptures.  The  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society,  which  published  Moirison 
and  Milne's  translation  of  the  New  Testament  as 
early  as  1814,  has  now  nineteen  Chinese  versions 
on  its  list,  and  of  these  versions  it  has  published 
over  18,500,000  copies.  The  American  Bible 
Society  has  published,  since  the  commencement 
of  its  work  in  1843,  about  12,000,000  copies  in 
some  twelve  different  versions  ;  whilst  the  National 
Bible  Society  of  Scotland,  which  also  publishes 
360 


Tract  Society  Work 


ByTr'  7:'T-  ""^  "'"'"  °^^'  ' ''°°°'°°°  copies. 
ZJll  r       f^"  P"'  °^  '^^'^  ^^^  have  been 

„,  '^-     ^''^^^    have   been   circulated   in   all    th.. 

the  Christian  Literature  Society  with  it,  hi^' 
quarters  at  Shanghai,  has,  by  bo^i:;  a^  ocj^f 
made  a  ,v,de  appeal  ,o  the  minds,  more  esTecSy' 
of  the  readmg  public  in  China  ^^PecialJy, 

How  far  or  for  how  long  these  developments  will 
be  permuted  it  is  impossible  to  say.  In  Chira 
more  perhaps  than  in  any  other  li^d  it  fs  A^' 
unexpected  which  happens.     The  fact   howevt 

offered'^clrr'^r"'"^'''  "''°"  ^''^  ^S 
onered  to  Christendom  m  a  field  both  unioue  in 

Its  extent  and  in  its  possibilities.  ^      " 


361 


INDEX 


Abuse,  personal,  189 
Acquisitiveness,  240 
Adaptability,  70 
"All  Souls' Day,"  29 
Amoy  language,  the,  136 
Ancestral  halls,  22 
homes,  306 
tablets,  22 
worship,  24 
Arithmetic,  264 
Arnold,  Matthew,  quoted. 
Atmosphere  of  towns,  1;^ 

B.A.  DEOREE,  the,  277 

Babas,  67 

Babies,  77 

Bamboo,  punishment  with 

I3t 

Barbarians,  5 
Barbei-s,  15 


'SI 


the. 


Beards,  15 
Bedrooms,  304 
Beliefs,  native,  331 


363 


Bible  Societies,  work  of,  360 

Bicycles,  218 

Births,  ceremony  at,  75 

Boat  population,  199 
Boat-women,  210 
Book-hawkers,  218 
Book  of  Mencius,  quoted,  2« 
Books,  78  ^         •   3' 

Books,  ancient,  263 
Bottles,  243 
Braces  and  bits,  319 
Breakfast,  167 
Breeches,  235 
Bribery,  io8 
Buddhism,  9, 337 

Buddhist  monks,  travels  of,  208 
Burials,  28 
Buttons,  99,  100 


Calls  of  ceremony,  313 
Cangue,  the,  123 
Cantonese  language,  134,  ,36 
l-apital  punishments,  120 
Carving,  318 


Index 


Cash,  a  coin,  339 

Caste,  absence  of,  11 1 

Cats  as  food,  165 

Chair-carrying,  215 

Chair-coolies,  316 

Changes,  tendency  to,  97 

Chang   Chow   massacre,    the, 
126 

Character  of   the  people,  61, 
64,66, 

Chaucer  quoted,  14 

Cheapness  of  food,  250 

Chess,  314 

Children,  72 

desire  for,  49  ^ 

■ ->iUi-labour,  327 

O'uldren's  songs,  78 

Chimneys,  38 

China  Steam  Navigation  Com- 
pany, 209 

Chisels,  319,  322 

Chopsticks,  160 

Christian  literature,  spread  of, 
36X 

Christianity,  progress  of,  360 

Cities,  condition  of,  96 

Clanship,  23 

Classics,  48, 186 

character  of,  188 
quoted,  252 

Clothes,  old,  use  of,  244 

Clothing,  7,  235 

Coal,  7 

Coast-line,  2 

Cofi&ns,  trouble  about,  42 

use  of  old,  246 
Coiffure,  women's,  19 


364 


Coins,  239 

Cold  and  heat  in  disease,  177 

Collars,  225 

Colour  of  clothing,  339 

Comfort,  absence  of,  306 

Communicants,  number  of,  387 

Concessions,  foreign,  345 

Concubines,  46,  54 

Confucius,  89 

Congee,  162 

Cooking,  mode  of,  165, 16S 

Coolies,  326 

Corruption,  official,  xo8 

Corvino,  John,  355 

Courtyards,  303 

Cowper  quoted,  306 

Crime,  123 

Curio-dealers,  218 

Dead,  influence  of,  21,  28 

Degradation  from  office,  114 

Diet,  native,  6 

Dinner,  customs  at,  163 

Disease,  diagnosis  of,  175 

Divination,  43 

Divorce,  55 

Doctors,  172, 182 

Dogs  as  food,  165 

Doors,  301 

Dragon  Boat  Treaty,  the,  280 

Drainage,  246 

Dress  of  mandarins,  99 

Drink,  158 

D.uggists'  shops,  i8i 

Drugs,  the  foreign,  144 

Drunkenness,  166 

Dynasties,  the  ancient,  91 


Ea«-rimgs,  23J 

Education,  78,  J62 

changes  in,  J72 

history  of,  171 

Educational  reform,  187 

Elimination  of  words,  138 
Emigration,  61,  64 

Emigration,  spread  of,  «So 
Emperor,  the  first,  91 

Employment  of  women,  3.4 
Entrance-halls,  301 
Ejtcur!,io.j  boats,  204 
Extravagance,  marriage,  55 


Index 


Fans,  mandarins',  104 

Farming,  324 

Fashions,  236 

Father's  power  over  his  chil. 

dren,  73 
Ferry-boats,  202 
Feudal  age,  9,  90 
Fiction,  190 
Figures,  use  of,  264 
Filial  piety,  24 
Fish,  7 

abundance  of,  207 

sellers  of,  283 
Fishing-smacks,  207 
"Five  Classics,"  the,  94 
F^h-eating  in  disease,  .79 
Floatmg  traders,  20. 
Flower-boats,  20c 
Food,  158 

in  prisons,  119 
Foot-warmers,  30= 
Footwear,  234 


I  Foreign  marriages,  danger  of, 

I  '''°"'"1«''8  hole  at  Chow  Chow 
'"•74 
Fruit-trees,  169 
Fuel,  7 
Fu-hsi,  89 
FuB^-SAiii,  32 
Funeral  processions,  294 
[  Furniture,  247 


Gala-days,  315 

Gambling,  314 

Gardens,  288 

Gemmeous  Ruler,  the,  334 

Geography,  study  of,  26? 

Geomancy,  36 

Ghosts,  belief  in,  33, 

Giants,  belief  in,  88 

God  of  Fire,  the,  333 

of  the  Locality,  the,  336 
of  Thunder,  story  of  2ii 
G^^essofLigbtnina^"'-^;, 

Goddess  of  Mercy,  the,  334 
Government,  8,  113 
Graduates,  number  of  277 
Grass  as  fuel,  169 

Grave  at  Chao  chow  fu  2, 
Graves,  position  of,  28 
influence  of,  41 

Crea/iMroi,;,  quoted,  47 
Great  Wall,  329  *' 

'^"^^   '"   '^"o^Udgc.    quoted. 

Guilds,  324 
365 


1 .  ^^^^K^fl 

Index 

^H^H 

Hades,  Ten  Courts  of,  338 

Keeoo,  138 

Hair,  11 

Kindness  to  children,  70 

boys',  so 

Kings  of  the  Ghosts,  courts  of. 

1    ^^H 

women's,  19 

30 

;    '^^1 

Hairpins,  338 

Kissing,  54 

^^^^^H 

Hakka  language,  the,  136 

Knickerbockers,  234 

f^^^^^l 

Hakkas,  the,  15 

4^^^^^| 

Hand-labour,  311 

;^^^H 

Hats,  337 

Ladders,  331 

^^^^1 

Historical  books,  94 

Languages,  131 

*^^^l 

History  of  the  past,  86 

study  of,  2<S4 

■^^^^^M 

Houses,  38 

cleaning  of,  300 
description  of,  398 

Lantern  processions,  396 

'^^ 

Lanterns,  399 
Lao-tsz,  90 

^^j^B 

Horses,  scarcity  of,  331 

Tsz,  quoted,  353 

^^■l 

Houseboats,  303                     ^ 
Hwang-ti,  89 

Laundrying,  333 
Laws,  116 
Lay  She-Chun,  174 
Leprosy,  s6 

^^^H 

IDEOORAPHY  of  language,  191 

Libations,  333 

^^^Bi 

^^^H 

Idol  festivals,  339 

Libraries,  197,  313 

^^^^1' 

^^^H 

processions,  395 

Literati,  in 

I^^^H 

Illiteracy,  141 

Literature,  8 

^^^H 

Image-maker,  paper,  81 

Lo  Tsz,  9 

^^^M^^^l 

Immorality,  59, 63 

Long  robes,  230 

^^^^^^^^1 

Indoor  life,  397 

Luggage,  313 

^l^^^^^^l 

Infant  mortality  84 

Lunch,  167 

■BETT 

^^^^^^^^B 

Infanticide,  73 

^■1 ' 

'^^1 

Irrigation,  347 
Islands,  3 
Isolation,  4 

Macao  dialects,  ;iie,  143 

1 

Malay  States,  Chinamen  in  the, 
67 

fl 

Malays,  67 

r 

Jackets,  335 

Manchus,  conquest  by  the,  13 

■ 

Jade  ornaments,  337 

Manchuria,  wild  tribes  of,  4 

fl 

Jealousy,  56 

Mandarins,  99 

—.^^ 

Jinrickshaws,  313 

dress  of,  331 

^■^n 

Junks,  307 

tenure  of  ofBce,  iia 

1 

36 

6 

m^ 

^H 

■   - 

■ 

^Q 

Mandarins  (amlinutd)- 
pomp  of,  103 
processions  of,  391 
the  language,  I, a 
Marco  Polo,  10 
Marine-liawiters,  34, 
Marketing,  agj     ^•' 

Marriage  processions,  ao, 
Marnage  by  proxy,  S7 
Mamages,a6,4s,3,;' 
Marrying  tlie  dead,  eg 
Massacres,  n6 
Massage,  17 

Matslieds,  3ao 

Matclies,  349 

Ualma  Medica,  a-  17. 

Maturity,  age  of,  S9 

Meals,  manners  at,  160,  3,a 
Medical  Students,  183 

writers,  173 
Medicines,  peculiar,  i8o 
Melon  seeds,  163 
Memory,  use  of,  266 
Mencius,  90 

Middle  dialects,  tlie,  138 
i.iUtaiy  mandarins,  power  of, 

107 

Middle  Kingdom,  the,  i 
Milk,  166 
Milk-names,  75 
Mihie,  William,  355 

Missions,  prejudice  against,  34, 
history  of,  355  " 

Mohammedan  rebellions,  ,J7 
Moles  on  the  face,  16 

Monasteries,  340 

Morality,  56, 61,  63 


Index 


367 


I  Morrison,  Robert,  35, 
Mothers.i„.ia„,j3^" 
Mountains,  3 

Mourning,  ,8,  300, 308 
Moustaches,  15 
Mutton,  165 

Names,  76 

,  Naval  uniform,  114 

Navigation,  river,  204 
Navy,  35,  ^ 

Nestorians,  355 
New  Year,  the,  80 
Newspapers,  ,98,  350 
Novels,  93 

Nunneries,  340 
I  Nursery  songs,  78 

Ocean  Dragon  King,  the,  334 
Odes,  use  of,  192  '  ■'*' 

°hl   End   of    Thoughts   of 
Love, -quoted,  19s 
Oil-men,  283 
"Old  custom,"  24 
Opium,  smoKng,  148 
effects  of,  152 
history  of,  145 
question,  the,  144 
statistics  of,  155 
Outdoor  life,  280 

Pagoda,  story  of  a,  36 
Paper  offerings,  29 
'^""s'tes,  232 


Index 


Pusage-boats,  aoS 

Patience  of  workers,  316 

Patriotism,  346 

Penal  code,  the,  1 16 

Physical.featares  of  thecountry, 
I 

Pickle-hawker,  the,  83 

Pillars,  trouble  about,  43 

Piog-pom  man,  tlic,  80 

Pirates,  334 

Planes,  319 

Pleasures  of  coolies,  317 

Poems  quoted,  193 

Poetry,  191,  191 

Police,  353 

Polygamy,  45  ' 

Poon  Kwu,  a  giant.  88 

Population,  3 

on  the  waters,  199 

Pork,  163 

Poverty,  244,  323 

Printing,  use  of,  189 

Prisons,  119 

Processions,  290 

Promotion  in  office,  114 

Protestant  missionaries,  num- 
ber of,  356 

Pulse,  examination  of  the,  176 

Punishments,  120 
outdoor,  291 

Purgatory,  30 

Queues,  13 

Rafts,  310 
Railways,  10,  312,  323 


Railways,  opposition  to,  34 

Rats  as  food,  165 

Rebellions,  134 

Reform,  progress  of.  342 

Religion,  8 

Religious  Tract  Society,  work 

of,  361 
Restiiurants,  162 
Rice,  159 

Rice-field  worms,  166 
Rice  fish,  383, 335 
Roads,  319 
Robbers,  334 
Rotws  of  mandarins,  99 
Roman  Catholics,  355 
Routes  to  China,  10 


SAtIX>RS,  308 
Sampans,  300 
Saws,  319 

Scaffold-builders,  330 
S^ent,  30 
Scholarship,  220 
Schools,  78,  376 
Sedan-chairs,  316 
Self-centred,  5 
Sewerage,  246 
Sexagenary  Cycle,  the,  338 
Shaving,  16 
Shen-nung,  89 
Shoes,  235 
Shops,  279 

Shrimp-catcher,  the,  302 
Shun,  a  sage,  89 
Shuttlecocks,  387 
Siberian  Railway,  10 


368 


Silver  carrency,  349 

Sbve-girli,  83 

Small-pox,  85 

Smoke,  171 

Smuggling,  305 

So  Toong.fuh,  350 

Souls,  the  three,  m 

Spires,  objection  to,  40 

Spirits,  belief  in,  331 

Spoons  and  forks,  i6j 
Steamers,  309 
Steeples,  objectio;i  to,  40 
Stockings,  334 
Street  cries,  315 
Street-sellers,  384 
Streets,  appearance  of,  316 
Stools,  308 
Strangulation,  i3o 
Students,  71 
Sweetmeats,  83 
Swords,  lot 

Tai  Pino  rebellion,  the,  i 

Tao  Teh  King,  quoted,  353 

Taoism,  337 

Telegraphs,  opposition  to,  33 

Temples,  337 

Tenure  of  office,  113 

Theatricals,  381 

Things  Chinese,  quoted,  igo 

Thriftiness,  336 

Tigers,  33 

Tibet,  4 

"  To  Find  a  Heart  thafs  True, 

quoted,  194 
Tolerance,  337 


[34 


Index 


Tombs,  worship  it,  38 
Tones  in  language,  136 
Tools,  319 
Torture,  131 

Tower  at  the  City  of  Fragrant 
HUls,  35 

Toys,  79 

Transmigration  of  souls,  30 

Travel,  modes  of,  313 

Travellers,  71 

Treaty  ports,  China,   men  in 
the,  69 

Trees,  destruction  of,  168 
Troubles  of  official  life,  105 
Trousers,  335 
Tsun  Shih  Hwang,  90 
Tung  Chi,  Emperor,  burial  of 
4' 

Vaccination,  85 
Vegetables,  384 
Vegetarians,  163 
Vendettas,  138 
Vices,  63 
Voyagers,  ancient,  n 


369 


Walking,  delight  in,  386 
War,  ancient  views  of,  353 
"Warrior    Bold,   A,"   quoted 

«93 
Wars,  feudal,  190 
Washing,  333 
Waste,  hatred  of,  341 
Water-supply,  350 
Weddings,  50 


Index 


Wheellnrrow,  aai 
Whipping,  public,  lai 
Widows,  58 
Wine,  166 

WivM,  position  of,  45 
Women  abroad,  67 

dress  of,  335 
Wood  as  fuel,  169 
Wooden  collar,  the,  123 
Work  of  mandarins,  105 
Worlcinen,  316 
Worship  at  tombs,  38 


Writing,  reverence  of,  337,  348 
IVu  T$i,  quoted,  354 

Yaho  Tsz  Kuno,  the,  1 
Yau,  a  sage,  89 
Yeep,  Viceroy,  104 
Yellow  jacket  the,  10,  333 

Peril,  the,  356 

River,  t'  e,  1 
ySng,  177 
Ya,  a  sage,  89 
yimi,  177 


imtw  uoTms, 


UMm^  TBI  OUSHAll  PIBS,  Womo  AMD  UHOOR. 


